As a research scientist who has forever been obsessed with Matlab® (from The Mathworks), I found the latest version of SigmaPlot® a real treat for processing data. I was initially using SigmaPlot® 2000 and I used to find it a good alternative for generating publication-quality figures of my data, as opposed to other data processing software. But, with the new features of the latest SigmaPlot®, I find that it is now not only more convenient to generate excellent graphs in no time, but also the additional features are well worth the price.
First off, it offers all the basic requirements of good graph-generating software. It has a huge number of rows and columns (I have used upto ~10,000 columns) which allows for duplicate column naming. I can directly import (or copy-paste) data in innumerable formats, including ASCII, Excel, and binary, among others, and have the software convert my data into exponential-format, date format, etc. I can easily navigate through the data using the arrow keys and set each row/column in different formats (font – nearly 80 symbol types, color, etc.). I can also set the software to ignore missing data in a sheet while generating graphs.
I find this software very user-friendly for generating graphs; the interactive graph wizard is extremely user-friendly. I can easily choose different kinds of graphs (line, scatter, histograms, 2D/3D contour plots) using the list displayed on the left side of the interface, or through the drop-down menu. Additionally, I can easily edit different graphs by double-clicking on the feature I want to change, including axes, data point display, graph color (can be different for different plots on the same graph), etc. This software also allows me to display two different axes on the same graph for the ‘y’ dimension for a given ‘x’ axis. I can plot several graphs on one graph sheet and have them arranged the way I want. I can directly export a selected graph or the entire graph sheet to Microsoft® (Word or PPT), making data presentations easy. The software also offers me a plethora of export options, and in most cases, I can edit my data without having to carry the original SigmaPlot® file with me.
The feature that I find most useful is the integrated statistical analysis. A wide variety of inbuilt statistical features including calculation of mean, standard deviation, t-test, etc. can be found in the regression wizard. The software has over a dozen equation categories with several sub-parameters to choose from. I find that I can easily calculate ligand binding and exponential decay reactions in no time. I can generate previews of my analysis to check whether the equation I used fits my data well. If I am not satisfied with the analysis, I can feed in my own equations and store them for further use. I can carry out complicated statistical analyses even without having to know the complicated mathematics behind them! I can generate a detailed report of every analysis I carry out for verification of the assumptions I have made at every step; the software also allows me to record the different steps of my analysis in macros so that I can call these recorded steps to be carried out on other datasets, thus saving me a lot of time.
Overall, I find that the faster 3D graph rendering and graph export have become highly user-friendly with the latest graphical interface. Added features for graph plotting including axis breaks, error bars (with equations), and the multiple undo option (very handy!) coupled with the ease of formatting and editing have really made this software very desirable for most of my data analyses. The step-by-step guide for generating graphs makes it easy even for a novice to handle his/her data (the detailed manual can be called upon anytime one needs assistance). I believe that these added features definitely make SigmaPlot® 9.0 worth its price!