Foreword

Sit back, put up your feet, and prepare for the E(Views) ticket of your life.

My goal in writing EViews Illustrated is that you, the reader, should have some fun. You might have thought the goal would have been to teach you EViews. Well, it is—but books about software can be awfully dry. I don’t learn much when I’m bored and you probably don’t either. By keeping a light touch, I hope to make this tour of EViews enjoyable as well as productive.

Most of the book is written as if you were seated in front of an EViews computer session and you and I were having a conversation. Reading the book while running EViews is certainly recommended, but it’ll also work just fine to read—pretending EViews is running—while you’re actually plunked down in your favorite arm chair.

Hint: Remember that this is a tutorial, not a reference manual. More is not necessarily better. EViews comes with over 2,500 pages of first class reference material in four volumes. When details are better explained by saying “See the User’s Guide,” that’s what we do.

And if 2,500 pages just isn’t enough (or is perhaps too much), you can always visit the EViews Forum (http://forums.eviews.com) where you can find answers to commonly asked questions, share information, and mingle with like-minded EViews users.

EViews is a big program. You don’t need to learn all of it. Do read Chapter 1, “A Quick Walk Through” to get started. After that, feel comfortable to pick and choose the parts you find most valuable.

EViews Illustrated for Version 8 is keyed to release 8 of EViews. Most, but not all of EViews Illustrated applies to release 4 as well. EViews workfiles discussed in the book are available for download from www.eviews.com or on a CD bundled with EViews Illustrated.

Despite all care, an error or two undoubtedly remain. Corrections, comments, compliments, and caritas all gratefully received at EViewsIllustrated@eviews.com.

Dick Startz

Castor Professor of Economics

University of Washington

Seattle

February 2012