I've recently been asked why Skippity doesn't include data analysis tools, like programs such as LabVIEW or VEE do. Well, this is intentional for a couple of good reasons.
The first and most important (based on many years experience of conducting experiments) is that it's a bad idea to start analysing your data before it's all been acquired. Doing this practically never leads to correct interpretation of the data set as a whole, and at worst, a partial analysis can tempt one to modify the experiment set-up to accommodate a possibly erroneous interpretation of the phenomenon under investigation.
The second reason is that we can't anticipate all your possible analysis requirements. If we tried to, Skippity would become a towering behemoth of a program that still might not include the specific technique you wanted. So there's another hazard I've observed all too often - that faced with a finite set of analysis tools, we unconsciously tend to adapt our analysis approach to the limits of the tool set rather than seeking an optimum analysis for what is being investigated. This can lead to either erroneous confirmation of invalid results or failure to identify a significant discovery.
A basic principle of sound scientific experimentation is to gather all your data blindly before starting to analyse it. The only exception to blind data gathering is where something has clearly gone wrong, such as an instrument failing to respond or returning obvious garbage. But that's what the Skippity STOP button is for.
Of course, what makes Skippity really special is its ability to control instruments for which there are no ready-made drivers, such as specialised kit you've designed and built yourself. And it's free!
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I've recently been asked why Skippity doesn't include data analysis tools, like programs such as LabVIEW or VEE do. Well, this is intentional for a couple of good reasons.
The first and most important (based on many years experience of conducting experiments) is that it's a bad idea to start analysing your data before it's all been acquired. Doing this practically never leads to correct interpretation of the data set as a whole, and at worst, a partial analysis can tempt one to modify the experiment set-up to accommodate a possibly erroneous interpretation of the phenomenon under investigation.
The second reason is that we can't anticipate all your possible analysis requirements. If we tried to, Skippity would become a towering behemoth of a program that still might not include the specific technique you wanted. So there's another hazard I've observed all too often - that faced with a finite set of analysis tools, we unconsciously tend to adapt our analysis approach to the limits of the tool set rather than seeking an optimum analysis for what is being investigated. This can lead to either erroneous confirmation of invalid results or failure to identify a significant discovery.
A basic principle of sound scientific experimentation is to gather all your data blindly before starting to analyse it. The only exception to blind data gathering is where something has clearly gone wrong, such as an instrument failing to respond or returning obvious garbage. But that's what the Skippity STOP button is for.
Of course, what makes Skippity really special is its ability to control instruments for which there are no ready-made drivers, such as specialised kit you've designed and built yourself. And it's free!