SPSS Information Page

What is Available

The University of Michigan makes SPSS available to graduate students, staff, faculty, and University units in a variety of ways and for a variety of computers. Though there is some variability in what is available depending on which agreement governs your version, the core modules are the same for all versions: Base System, Professional Statistics, and Advanced Statistics. What follows should help you decide which is appropriate for you. The newest version available for Windows is SPSS 16. SPSS 14 and 15 are still in use and officially supported by SPSS Inc. The newest version available for Mac OS X is SPSS 16.

System Requirements: Windows

The system requirements for SPSS 16 for Windows are:

• Operating System
  • Microsoft Windows XP (32-bit versions) or Vista (32-bit or 64-bit versions)
• Hardware
  • Intel or AMD x86 processor running at 1GHz or higher
  • RAM: 512MB RAM; 1GB recommended
  • 450MB of available hard-disk space
  • CD-ROM drive
  • Super VGA (800x600) or a higher-resolution monitor

The system requirements for SPSS 14 and SPSS 15 for Windows Windows XP or 2000 SP3 are:

• 256 MB RAM minimum (512 MB recommended)
• 400 MB of available hard disk space
• Pentium-class Processor
• SVGA Monitor

System Requirements: Macintosh

The system requirements for SPSS 16 for Mac OS X are:

• 512 MB RAM (1 GB Recommended)
• 800 MB of available hard disk space
• PowerPC or Intel processor
• Color monitor, 800x600 resolution or higher (1024x768 recommended)
• Java Standard Edition 5.0 (J2SE 5.0)

Site-Licensed versus Graduate Pack

SPSS is distributed under two different agreements: one is as site-licensed software, and the other is as a discounted, single-user version, called the Student Version or Graduate Pack.

SPSS Student Version / "Grad Pack"

The Student Version is actually purchased software---you own it and register it with SPSS, and it will not expire. You are not entitled to free upgrades, but must purchase them from SPSS at their regular upgrade price, or, if you still meet the eligibility criteria, you can purchase a new Grad Pack (which is usually cheaper than the regular upgrade price).

SPSS provides technical support for installation of the software only. You are, however, entitled to the SPSS technical support provided by the University as long as you are a registered student or working on University sponsored research. You must be a registered student or have advanced to candidacy to be eligible to purchase the Grad Pack.

What's Included in the Grad Pack

Both the Windows and the Macintosh Graduate Packs contain the Base System, the Professional Statistics, and the Advanced Statistics modules. This combination provides you with the same functionality as the SPSS version that runs on campus sites machines or Statistics and Computation Service (SCS) servers. Other modules are not available under the arrangement that makes these modules available. You can order additional modules directly from SPSS if you wish. For current pricing and availability, you can contact SPSS Sales at (800) 543-2185.

Site-Licensed SPSS

The site-licensed version is available only to faculty, staff, and University units. It is not really purchased, but rather is ''leased'' under an agreement between SPSS and the University. The software distributed under the license will expire on an annual basis.

There is an initial fee to commence the license, and an annual fee for renewal of the software. These fees are used to pay the annual renewal fee that SPSS charges the University. Payment of the renewal fee entitles you to free upgrades as new versions are released and to the SPSS technical support provided by the University.

What's Included in the Site-Licensed SPSS

The standard distribution of SPSS under the site-license includes the Base System, the Professional Statistics module, and the Advanced Statistics module. This provides essentially the same functionality as will be found on the campus sites machines or SCS servers.

The University has also negotiated additional agreements with SPSS to make additional modules available to site-licensed users. These modules are available for an additional fee, which is based on the annual renewal fees that SPSS charges the University. Contact the Computer Showcase, ITD Licenses, or the CSCAR SPSS consultant for information about which modules are currently available for which machines.

Where to Obtain SPSS

Computer Showcase

The Advanced Graduate Pack and the site-licensed versions, both for Windows and the Macintosh, can be obtained at the Computer Showcase, which is located in the basement of the Michigan Union, at 530 S. State, Room G312, 647-2537. For the site-licensed version, the person who intends to be the end-user (or system administrator, if purchased for a department) must go in to Computer Showcase to sign the license agreement. For current pricing information, please contact Computer Showcase, or visit this page.

ITCS Licenses

The site-licensed version can also be obtained electronically as a set of files from ITCS. There is no difference in the software, only in the method of acquiring it. What you get is permission to an IFS directory that contains ''self-extracting archive'' files, from which you can make a set of installation disks. The exact method of copying and making the disks differs depending on how you connect to IFS and on whether you are using Windows or a Macintosh. Complete instructions are provided at the time the necessary permissions are granted.

If you are paying for the license using a University account, you can conduct the entire transaction via e-mail or fill in a request online here. lic.itcs@umich.edu is the e-mail address to which you should send inquiries about current prices. You can obtain the software in one transaction by sending the following information to the same address.

• Your Name
• Your Department
• A 6-digit University account number and the name of an authorized signer on that account
• Your uniqname (to which the file permissions will be given)
• Which version of SPSS you wish to license (usually the most recent; if you have questions about this, contact the CSCAR SPSS consultant)
• The names of any additional modules you wish to license (if any).

If you need to pay cash or with a personal check, pay at the Computer Showcase, and the instructions will be sent to you via e-mail. Note that there is a small, additional charge for handling the paperwork if you pay at the Computer Showcase.

Documentation and Where to Obtain It

Currently, all manuals for SPSS for Windows are available  electronically in .pdf format, and are available for $5 with purchase of the site-licensed SPSS package from Computer Showcase. Hard copy versions of the manuals for previous versions of SPSS can be purchased separately by contacting SPSS, or from local book stores such as Borders. Macintosh users will receive some documentation automatically with purchase of the site-licensed SPSS package, and additional hard copy documentation can be purchased through the SPSS web site (http://www.spss.com). Unix users can also purchase documentation from the SPSS web site, or contact CSCAR to request documentation.

SPSS Patches

Every year, SPSS will release patches for current versions of SPSS that fix bugs or provide upgrades to the software. Please contact the CSCAR SPSS consultants for more information about obtaining these patches.

SPSS Technical Support

Technical support for SPSS is provided to University of Michigan faculty, staff, and graduate students by the Center for Statistical Consultation and Research. The Center is located in 3550 Rackham and is open Monday through Friday from 9 am until 5 pm (except Wednesday, noon to 1 pm, when it is closed for a staff meeting), and Monday through Thursday from 7 pm until 9 pm.

Consulting is available in person, by telephone (764-STAT), or via e-mail (spss.help@umich.edu). Simpler questions can frequently be handled via the telephone or via e-mail, however, some questions may require that you go to the Center. Appointments can also be scheduled for questions that are too complex or involved for telephone or e-mail consultation. More complete information about the full range of services provided by the Center are available as brochures that can be picked up (or faxed), and via the Center's WWW Home Page http://www.umich.edu/~cscar, which is also accessible from the main University of Michigan Home Page.