Software

[Tom Boismier, MPH]

In article <Pine.PTX.3.91a.950403163730.14210N-100000 at carson.u.washington.edu> James Labiak <jamesl at u.washington.edu> writes:

>Are any of you familiar with "good" software for teaching both 
>undergraduates and graduate students concepts in audiometric masking?

Years ago (1986?), Robert Turner PhD at Wayne State University wrote and sold 
a great little package called Audio-PC, which did a good job with teaching 
masking. He's at Louisiana State now, don't know if he still sells it though.

>What software are you using to store/download patient demographics/test
>results on PC's? 

We use a database in our Vestibular lab that we originally wrote in dBase 
III+, and recently converted to FoxPro 2.6 for Windows (and Mac). These 
so-called "x-base" database programs are extremely powerful, but are farly 
complicated to learn. Once you write the data-entry screen program though, 
it's completely painless to users. 

Advantages: 
extremely large databases (ours has 8,000+ records with 130 fields each);
relational searches (e.g: FOR 10-01-94 to 03-30-95 and Unilateral 
Weakness>25% or Directional Preponderance>25% DO LIST);
Custom designed data entry and search (report) screens;
The same database file can be used by both PC's and Macs.
Industry standard file format, so you can switch to new software without 
losing (or re-typing) old data. X-Base programs (that I can think of) include 
FoxPro, dDase (the original), Clipper, Paradox.

Disadvantages:
Learning curve, someone has to learn the package and write the data entry 
screens. Windows-based programs are easier, most "talk you through it".