The new, Java-based interface makes SPSS even easier to use. You can instantly resize dialog boxes to accommodate
long variable names and lists, and quickly drag and drop variables from one pane to another to set up your analysis.
This interface also supports Unicode, so that you can work with data in multiple languages from a single application.
You can treat text data according to Unicode properties for tasks like sorting and case conversion.
Also, through the SPSS Programmability Extension, an SPSS Integration Plug-In for R is available. This enables users
to access the wealth of statistical routines created in R and use them within SPSS as part of SPSS syntax. An SPSS
Programmability Integration Plug-in provides the crucial link and configuration instructions that enable an SPSS
syntax job to take advantage of a specific external programming language or dynamic link library (DLL). SPSS 16.0
includes many enhancements to data management that users have specifically requested.
Reporting enhancements include a new, more powerful visualization engine, which replaces the Interactive Graph
Properties (IGRAPH) feature. This makes graph editing faster and easier. (Existing IGRAPH syntax will continue to
work.) The enhanced Chart Editor delivers a similar level of functionality as the previous IGRAPH editor.
In addition, SPSS 16.0 introduces Python as the default front-end scripting language. Python supersedes SAX Basic as
the scripting language for tasks such as automation of repetitive tasks and customization of output. (Existing SAX
Basic scripts will continue to work in SPSS 16.0.)
