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Re: st: RE: Graphs: patterns instead of solid colors in Stata Maps
Perhaps we cold have different colours for different numbers
so that larger numbers are greener and smaller numbers are
redder? Then we could stop analyzing data altogether and just
mix finger paints....
Nick Cox wrote:
I didn't say StataCorp were right, although I usually think
that. And I suppose it's good news that some keen Stata users seem
to want to do everything in Stata. And if you used TeX, you
could invent your own grammar, except that we would not
let you publish it in the Stata Journal. Indeed, the people
at StataCorp correct my grammar, and it ain't so bad.
While I am talking graphics, I will share a recent discovery
of what I consider dopey design. A recent introductory text has
some colour code for distinguishing left- and right-skewed
distributions. I am not sure I remember the details, because they
were so arbitrary, but the flavour runs something like this:
1. Left-skewed distributions are shown in green.
2. Right-skewed distributions are shown in purple.
So, histograms, distribution curves, and so forth, are coloured
accordingly.
This is extreme indirectness. Consider some poor student
taking a test on Statistics 100. Here is a graph. It is in green.
What does that mean? Is it left-skewed? Or right-skewed?
(Or, more likely, green means something special, but I
forget what....)
Even if the whole world used this convention -- and clearly
that is an enormous if -- it still sounds dopey. Why not
just teach students how to tell the difference by looking
at the distribution? The colour codes are just a diversion!
I remain astonished at the well-known statistician who
either invented this or was persuaded into it by his publisher.
Not tarring anyone with this example, but it's too extraordinary
not to share.
Nick
[email protected]
Jeph Herrin
While I applaud the dedication of StataCorp to quality
presentation, many of us have to work with publications
that do not share this dedication. Just as I prefer Word
to allow me my grammatical errors, Stata would be more
valuable if it allowed me my errors of presentation. But
for top tier medical journals I must routinely resort to
Excel for those...
Nick Cox wrote:
Stata does not support stripes, whether straight, wavy, or of
some other kind; nor does it support stipples, spots, polka dots,
or other kinds of patterns. The good people at StataCorp read Edward
Tufte's books, and in particular his admonitions about Moire
vibration, and resolved not to do that.
Please change your mail signature from "Stata List" as far
as communications with this list are concerned. This
may amuse you, or otherwise be congenial or convenient,
but I suggest that it is an inappropriate identity for
a member of Statalist. It is not compulsory, but it
is an almost universal habit on this list to use real
names and not hide identities.
Nick
[email protected]
Stata List (a.k.a. AC)
I've been using Stata's graph capabilities to make amazing coloured
maps, with different colours for different indicators.
However, since
most printing is done on B&W printers, I would like to know how to
specify patterns (say, 45 degree stripes, or spots, etc.)
instead of
only solid colours.
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