We've been using JEdit to script surveys for about a year. Not
because of licensing fees but for other production reasons.

1) There is no real "Macro" facility in mrStudio. With JEdit we can
create complex macros that allow us to easily create metadata from
text questionnaires

2) The MDD is not a human readable file, and so can't be used with
code generation tools like CODESMITH or other internally produced
survey generators.

3) We cannot use DIFF tools to easily merge MDD's.

For these reasons we have developed a system of first creating the
survey (as an IVS file) with a code generating tool, then importing
the file into mrStudio, and running the survey in debug mode. At
this point we do all the edits in mrStudio.

We think the step by step debugging and Auto answer are a true
productivity gain, and would use mrStudio completely if we could,
but it is such a poor Text Editor that we would rather manage a more
complex process.

If SPSS ever licenses the survey player Lite engine separately from
mrStudio (as they might with the CAPI version) then maybe an
mrStudio free process would work.


--- In NADUG@yahoogroups.com, "E. David Zotter" <david@...> wrote:
>
> Greetings to one and all.. Long time, no chat.
>
>
>
> I realize this usergroup on Yahoo is somewhat dormant, however,..
I have a
> few questions that maybe a few of you can answer..or at least
point me in
> the right direction.
>
>
>
>
>
> Lately, I've been receiving messages from European colleagues that
look
> like:
>
>
>
> "Compared to MrStudio where we have got NN licences in the group
so far and
> having in mind the change of the current pricing model of SPSS
stepping away
> from the tier model to single licences we would need NN MrStudio+
IOM
> licences at single cost of NNNNN EUR = NNN,NNN EUR + maintenance
NN,NNN EUR
> which sums up to NNN,NNN EUR in the first year. It seems to me an
> opportunity to save money by centralizing work in one of these
countries -
> but they all speak different languages which is only one aspect
making it
> difficult."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Or in other words, mrStudio is damn expensive..and getting more
expensive.
> In our cases, there are lots and lots of survey authors across all
> countries. but many of them generate far few projects per licensed
copy of
> mrStudio.
>
>
>
> You'd think SPSS would give away mrStudio to promote the usage of
> mrInterview and their data model. don't you want more people
doing more
> things in mrscript and not less?
>
>
>
>
>
> "So what's your question Zotter," you ask?
>
>
>
>
>
> My question is.. How can one reduce the cost exposure to mrStudio
licenses?
>
> Is there a good substitute for 90% of the IDE functionality?
>
>
>
> 1) I've heard rumors of people using Eclipse IDE with custom
plugin's for
> mrscript.
>
>
>
> 2) Others are saying they are moving towards using Visual
Studio 2008
> Shell to deal with mrscript.
> <http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/bb510103.aspx>
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/bb510103.aspx
> The performance, familiarity, refinement tend to side with vStudio
over
> mrStudio, I'd guess.
>
>
>
> 3) Some have even suggested using JEdit with an mrScript Plugin
>
>
>
> 4) Still others have suggested the wave of the future is an
AJAX based
> IDE that is hosted on a web server sitting right next to
mrInterview in our
> server farm, such as something from BungeeLabs or whatever
> http://www.bungeelabs.com/
> <http://www.podtech.net/home/3064/bungee-labs-and-their-ajax-
based-ide>
> http://www.podtech.net/home/3064/bungee-labs-and-their-ajax-based-
ide
> http://codepress.org/
> etc, etc, etc..
>
>
>
> 5) Some sort of Citrix setup?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Any info about what approach you are taking would be great
appreciated..
>
>
>
> Thanks for your time,
>
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
> E. David Zotter - david@...
>
>
>
> P.S.
>
> Link to me on LinkedIN
>
> <http://www.linkedin.com/in/zotter>
http://www.linkedin.com/in/zotter
>