Gauss and matlab: A comparison

I compare two high-level matrix programming languages with built-in function libraries and graphics routines. Their interactive nature and convenient syntax makes them ideal for use in econometric applications. The languages are remarkably similar in terms of their features and performance. MATLAB's chief advantage is that it runs on a wider array of hardware and operating systems than GAUSS. GAUSS's main advantage is that it has better coverage of statistical and econometric routines. Overall, MATLAB's features seem best suited for analysing time-series data and other macro econometric applications, while GAUSS is ideal for analysing panel data and other microeconometric applications.