Software Reviews : Testimate Publisher: idv Datenanalyse und Versuchsplanung,Wessobrunner Strasse 6,D-82131 Gauting/München,Germany;tel. [phone];SciTech,2231 N. Clybourn Ave.,Chicago,IL 60614;312-472-0444 Year of Publication: 1992 Version Reviewed: 5.1.2 Materials: One 3.5" program disk (also available on 5.25" disks),Testimate 5.1 handbook,Testimate examples manual,program and printer installation manual;and available by request,Testimate val idation monograph Price: $395 (academic price);$695 (commercial price);additional copies are $195/395,though a site license agreement is available at a reduced price Machine Specificity: IBM-PC,AT,386,486,and other 100%-compat ible machines System Requirements: Requires hard-disk installation and uses ap proximately 1MB of storage and 640KB of RAM. Operates under MS DOS from version 2.11 through version 3.3 and version 5.0,or DR- DOS from version 3.0 through 5.0,or OS/2 version 2.0. Supports all graphics cards and coprocessors,though a coprocessor is not necessary. According to the authors,all commercially available printers,except Postscript printers without emulation,are supported,and any printer not supported will be configured free of charge. Effectiveness: Excellent User Friendliness: Good if 100% IBM-compatible equipment is used,otherwise poor Documentation: Excellent validation studies;good manual and installation documents

Abstract

Testimate was conceived as a statistical analysis tool for the microcomputer primarily for use by researchers in the biological and behavioral sciences. Formerly called Test, it has been marketed in various forms in Europe and North America since 1984 and used extensively by those engaged in pharmaceutical research. As such, it has undergone extensive validation, verification, and testing for cor relations of response correctness through comparison with numer ous mainframe programs, such as SPSS, SAS, and so forth. In support of their claim for scrupulous accuracy, the authors have prepared an 88-page support document, Testimate validation monograph, which is available upon request. In it they provide extensive test-by-test comparisons, information about the operations undertaken by the test, and reference material about the statistical analyses. This document may be the unique strength of this software.