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1[article Statistical Distribution Explorer
2    [quickbook 1.4]
3    [copyright 2008 Paul A. Bristow, John Maddock]
4    [license
5        Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
6        (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
7        [@http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt])
8    ]
9    [authors [Bristow, Paul A.], [Maddock, John]]
10    [category math]
11    [purpose mathematics]
12    [/last-revision $Date$]
13]
14
15A Windows utility to show the properties of statistical distributions
16using parameters provided interactively by the user.
17
18The distributions provided are:
19
20*bernoulli
21*beta_distribution
22*binomial_distribution
23*cauchy
24*chi_squared
25*exponential
26*extreme_value
27*fisher_f
28*gamma_distribution
29*lognormal_distribution
30*negative_binomial_distribution
31*normal_distribution
32*pareto
33*poisson
34*rayleigh
35*students_t
36*triangular
37*uniform
38*weibull
39
40Properties of distributions computed are:
41
42*mean
43*mode
44*median
45*variance
46*standard deviation
47*coefficient of variation,
48*skewness
49*kurtosis
50*excess
51*range supported
52
53Calculated, from values provided, are:
54
55*probability density (or mass) function (PDF)
56*cumulative distribution function (CDF), and complement
57*Quantiles (percentiles or fractiles) are calculated for typical risk (alpha) probabilities (0.001, 0.01, 0.5, 0.1, 0.333)
58and for additional probabilities provided by the user.
59
60Results can be saved to text files using Save or SaveAs.
61All the values on the four tabs are output to the file chosen,
62and are tab separated to assist input to other programs,
63for example, spreadsheets or text editors.
64
65Note: Excel (for example), only shows 10 decimal digits, by default:
66to display the maximum possible precision (about 15 decimal digits),
67it is necessary to format all cells to display this precision.
68Although unusually accurate, not all values computed by Distexplorer will be as accurate as this.
69Values shown as NaN cannot be calculated from the value(s) given,
70most commonly because the value input is outside the range for the distribution.
71
72For more information, including downloads, see
73
74[@http://distexplorer.sourceforge.net/ Distexplorer at Sourceforge]
75
76This Microsoft Windows 32 package distribution.exe
77was generated from a C# program
78and uses a boost_math.dll generated using the
79Boost.Math C++ source code from the Boost.Math Toolkit, compiled in CLI mode,
80containing the underlying statistical distribution classes and functions.
81
82All source code is freely available for view and use under the
83[@http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt Boost Open Source License].
84
85[@https://svn.boost.org/svn/boost/sandbox\math_toolkit\libs\math\dot_net_example
86Math Toolkit C++ source code]
87to produce boost_math.dll is in the most recent [@http://www.boost.org Boost] release, initially 1.35.0.
88
89It is distributed as a single Windows Installer package Setupdistex.msi.
90Unzip the distexplorer.zip to a temporary location of your choice and run setup.exe.
91
92(Note that .NET framework 2.0 and VCredist are requirements for this program.
93Most recent and updated Windows environments will already have these,
94but they are quickly, easily and safely installed from the Microsoft site if required.)
95
96(The package cannot be run on other platforms at present but it should be possible
97to build an equivalent utility on any C/C++ platform if anyone would like to undertake this task.)
98
99[/ Distexplorer.qbk
100  Copyright 2008 John Maddock and Paul A. Bristow.
101  Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
102  (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
103  http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt).
104]
105
106