In addition to the commercial programs, some tutorial programs have been developed for the Lab by WIU Department of Economics faculty, especially by Prof. K. B. Marx. The Department of Economics contributes the annual license fee to the University, making MicroTSP available on every IBM-compatible microcomputer on campus. Data for application in MicroTSP may be conveniently obtained from the sources listed below. Monthly, quarterly, and annual data for approximately 230 time series from the late 1940s through 1993. Historical data for over 500 series included in the Survey of Current Business blue pages from the 1950s to 1994.
Most series are on a monthly basis.
Quinquennial data from 1950 to 1985 on 25 variables for almost every nation in the world. Data on 136 variables for 203 national economies and 12 country groups from 1970 to 1991. The accessibility of this additional data varies, but normally it is not too difficult to actually get the downloaded numbers into your spreadsheet or statistical application. Extensive documentation on downloading files from the Internet is available in the computer labs. There are a number of special purpose programs on advanced topics which have been provided by Department of Economics faculty as teaching aids in upper division and graduate courses.