There are two primary discussion forums for RATS users available--one email-based and one web-based. The email discussion list has been around for many years, while the web forum was introduced in November 2006.
Both forums provide convenient ways for RATS users to discuss programming ideas and econometric issues, share examples and procedures, and exchange ideas. The support staff at Estima are active participants in both forums--we often post code and examples on the forums before they appear anywhere else, and make an effort to respond to questions when possible.
To visit the forum, just click on the link below or type the address into your browser.
Guests are free to view all posts on the forum. To post your own messages, you will need to register and then log in.
The web-based forum has one key advantage--messages posted there continue to remain visible, making it easier for newcomers to find answers to previously asked questions as well as posted sample code, procedures, announcements, and other information.
VIP Code: To register as a member of the forum, you will need to enter a VIP code in the appropriate field of the registration screen. The current VIP code is: 1560
The RATS Internet Mailing list ("RATS-L") is an an e-mail discussion group devoted to the use of the RATS software. This email list was created and is maintained by Rob Trevor, a very experienced RATS user from Sydney, Australia. Our thanks to Rob for all his efforts.
For more information, including instructions on subscribing to the list, see:
The RATS Internet Mailing List
The email forum has the advantage that all of the posts to the forum are delivered directly to subscriber's email inboxes. Many users prefer this sort of interaction, which doesn't require them to actively visit a forum to discover new messages.
The web-based forum is brand new, so its usefulness will be initially limited. Over time, we suspect the forum will gradually replace the email discussion list as its audience grows. For now, however, we expect and hope that the email list will continue to be an active and useful resource for RATS users around the world.