Recommended and supported file formats are Excel for spreadsheets and Access for databases. These Microsoft products handle Mac and PC versions of their files interchangeably. Access also handles the widely exchangeable dBase III or IV format files and Excel handles most Lotus 1-2-3 formats so exchange of simple data with most other spreadsheet and database files is feasible. Transfer from other packages of multiple linked spreadsheets or of complex databases with multiple files and linked structures may be more problematical. Transfer from other packages of database programs (i.e. instructions to make handling of data easy or sophisticated ) is generally doomed to fail.
There is a program, "STW", available on the network (in the "Utilities" section of Artemis) that will transfer data between a number of spreadsheet, database and statistics file formats. Its execution is very simple and obvious. I cannot vouch for its handling of all spreadsheet or database files but it doesn't appear always to produce exactly what you might want. However, it seems likely to provide reliable transfer of the bulk of data and will very likely be easier than reentering data. Unfortunately it does not output data in a format current Sun or Windows versions of the statistical package can use (it only produces version 5 transport files and, in their infinite wisdom, SAS produced no utility to handle version 5 transport files in their 6.** versions).
These make available the extremely powerful "Ingres" program (pronounced "Ing - rez" not like the painter!). This should become the standard for very intensive database applications in the School. Using the network, it is possible for Ingres to support PC or Mac based Excel spreadsheets or Access databases. This provides the tremendous large volumen data handling power of Ingres and the Sun machine with the familiarity and ease of working on a PC in a way that feels exactly like any other entirely PC based working.