I received JMP 4.0 yesterday. I really liked version 3.2.6 and ordered 4.0 as soon as it was released. I find it a big disappointment. Two things I liked about the earlier versions of JMP was that it operated like it was built for a Personal Computer, not a main frame that accepted batch programs. For example SPSS in effect still has the user set the options for a procedure then it runs the procedure. If you want column percentages instead of row percentages, you go back to the start, reset the options, calculate the table again and see if the results are what you want. JMP 4.0 takes you back to the main frame days. I also liked the way the early JMP integrated statistical thinking into the spreadsheet. At the top of the column of data, you defined the level of measurement and the role (X, Y, label, etc) the variable played in the analysis. That is now relegated to a separate dialog box to set up the analysis - back to that old main frame thinking. My verdict: JMP 3.2.6 is the statistical package for the Mac or WinTel platform. The only problem is that it will be difficult to get because SAS now only sells 4.0.
Jim Gundlach
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