Date:         Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:24:57 -0700
Reply-To:     ViAnn Beadle <vab88011@gmail.com>
Sender:       "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         ViAnn Beadle <vab88011@gmail.com>
Subject:      Re: Macros vs Python
Comments: To: Art@DrKendall.org
In-Reply-To:  <491B0F85.5080408@DrKendall.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Macros do simple text substitutions whereas Python has knowledge of the
dictionary and can read data.

Python will do everything that a macro can do and much, much more. Don't
even bother to learn macros other than to understand somebody else's code.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Art
Kendall
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 10:17 AM
To: SPSSX-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Macros vs Python

Someone asked me about consulting about macros but I declined because I
am not facile with them.  I have been meaning to come up to speed with
PYTHON from the view that Python works with many kinds of s/w besides
SPSS and is more general.

My question is:

How worthwhile is it to bother learning macros now that PYTHON is available?

Are there any advantages to learning macros/python first?
 Are there many things that are easier with macros/python?
 Are there many things that macros can do that Python cannot and vice versa?



Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants

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