Additional datasets, beyond those already contained in the SDA Web Archive, can be installed on the Berkeley Web server. Access to the additional datasets can be password protected, if such protection is desired.
The cost of installing and maintaining an additional dataset depends on the size of the dataset and the complexity of the work required to document it and set it up in SDA. The charge for a medium-sized dataset, with some machine-readable documentation available, would be approximately $3,000 for the initial installation and the first year of usage.
The cost for continued use and maintenance of the same dataset would be $60 per month. If the dataset is used very heavily, the charges may be higher. On the other hand, if there are several related datasets that are accessed from the same HARC file, the cost per dataset may be lower.
All of the SDA analysis programs are available at no extra charge for specially installed datasets, including the use of the recode and compute programs described below.
(Click here for more information.)
To try out the recode and compute programs, click here.
Use of these programs requires that a user have access to disk space on the Berkeley SDA Web server to store the derived variables, so that they can be used in analysis runs together with the original archive variables. A public work area is available for some of the datasets on the SDA Web site, but anyone can delete or overwrite variables in that public work area.
A private work area for a dataset can be set up on the Berkeley SDA site. And that disk area can be password protected if desired.
Linked accounts can be set up for classes or research groups. Under this arrangement, there is one work area for the instructor to store recodes and computed variables that are accessible to everyone in the class. Another work area is shared by the students, to create and store new variables that will be available to everyone in the class. If many students use the same work area to create and delete their own variables, we recommend that students assign variable names that begin with their own initials, to avoid naming conflicts. For example, if John Smith recodes the variable 'age' into 3 categories, he might name his variable 'js:age3'.
The cost of setting up the capability to create and store variables for one dataset that is already on the SDA Web Archive site is $1,000, including the first year of use. Continuing use of this capability for the same dataset is $60 per month.
(Click here for more information.)
The SDA software package is currently available for Web servers running the Sun Solaris system (UNIX) or the Microsoft Windows operating system for PCs. A Linux version is also under development.
Organizations that already have a license to use the CASES package for computer-assisted data collection may obtain a copy of the SDA software at no extra cost. Others can obtain the software by becoming a member of the Association at a level that currently costs $3,200 per year. (as of Oct 1, 2007) This membership fee covers SDA usage of up to 100,000 analysis runs or subsets per year. Heavier usage will require membership at a higher level.
For information on the requirements for setting up an SDA archive, see the document entitled "How to Set Up an SDA Data Archive on the Web." Additional information is available on the SDA Documentation Page.
Members of the Association that have the SDA software installed on their own Web server can obtain assistance from CSM staff in setting up and documenting datasets. The cost of this assistance depends on the complexity of the task and the time required.
For more information: