How to Access DASL or Contact Data Description Inc

Updated

DASL is still online and free to use even though Data Description Inc. has begun dissolving. You can reach the DASL archive through the link on datadescription.com, and you can contact the company through the contact form on the same site. Note that all sales, trial downloads, and upgrades have ceased, so the site is now an information and archive resource rather than a store.

Accessing the DASL Archive

DASL stands for The Data And Story Library. Data Description is its creator and continuing sponsor, and the site states the archive will keep being hosted going forward.

What you can do with it:

  • Search an archive of real data from a wide variety of topics
  • Find datafiles by statistics display or method, by text match, or by title
  • Use it as a teaching and learning aid for statistics at any level
  • Draw on hundreds of free datasets

To get there, use the DASL link on datadescription.com. The page describes DASL as a searchable format built around real-world examples, on the reasoning that a good example makes a statistics lesson vivid and relevant.

Contacting Data Description Inc

The site provides a contact form with these fields:

Field Required
Your Name Yes
Your Email Yes
Subject No
Your Message No

The page states the company will reply in a timely manner. The form is protected by reCAPTCHA and is subject to Google's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, so expect that verification step before your message goes through.

What Changed at Data Description

Data Description announced its dissolution after 40 years, citing the current business landscape, financial circumstances, and the evolving needs of stakeholders. As a result:

  • All sales have ceased
  • Trial downloads have ceased
  • Upgrades have ceased

The company also notes it remains the creator and continuing sponsor of DASL, which is the main reason the site is still worth visiting.

If You Used Data Desk with R or Python

Data Desk's RP features let you use its interface as a graphical front end to R, or share displays and analyses with people who don't have Data Desk. According to Paul F. Velleman, Chief Scientist, students and teachers may find this a gentle way to learn writing R or Python code. Since sales and trials have stopped, treat this as background on existing installations rather than something you can newly purchase or download.