At 01:08 PM 9/25/2001 -0500, Chris wrote:
I'm trying to learn more about network analysis statistical programs. I want to know which are used most often, which are Window-oriented, limitations to various programs, etc.
I earlier provided INSNA's software site, as well as some thoughts about key issues associated with network data collection. Barry Wellman also emphasized this site. If I might go one step further, you might also consider the issue of the visualization of dynamically interconnected data in general, of the translation of sampled data into spatialized, temporalized, haptic/embodied, and/or linguistic 'representations' and feedback. Nodes and links are but one frame, and even multidimensional networks can be represented different ways. Many of the people I work with are quite creatively excited by 'visualization' research. Further, socio-cultural theorists such as Johannes Fabian have raised the question of the visualist bias of social theories and assumptions about power (eg the panopticon), while many scientists with whom I have talked, such as GIS mapmakers, and interested in working with artists to think of new ways to 'inform' all the data. To that end, you might also consider some of the 'data-mining' software (some of it free) on: <www.kdnuggets.com/software/visualization.html >. In fact, this professional data mining site is full of interesting software <http://www.kdnuggets.com/software/index.html> and resources, <http://www.kdnuggets.com/index.html>. The site includes text analysis, classification, clustering software, as well as examples of companies involved in data mining. There are variants of network analysis software here which might not have been appropriate on INSNA's site, but which explores the organization in and of networks, as well as other models. Good luck! Willard Willard Uncapher, Ph.D. / Ctr. for Technocultural Studies / UC, Davis / willard@well.com