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The BUGS project: Evolution, critique and future directions
Author(s) -
Lunn David,
Spiegelhalter David,
Thomas Andrew,
Best Nicky
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
statistics in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.996
H-Index - 183
eISSN - 1097-0258
pISSN - 0277-6715
DOI - 10.1002/sim.3680
Subject(s) - computer science , flexibility (engineering) , software , principal (computer security) , gibbs sampling , bayesian probability , inference , raising (metalworking) , bayesian inference , software bug , data science , econometrics , software engineering , artificial intelligence , statistics , economics , mathematics , programming language , computer security , geometry
BUGS is a software package for Bayesian inference using Gibbs sampling. The software has been instrumental in raising awareness of Bayesian modelling among both academic and commercial communities internationally, and has enjoyed considerable success over its 20‐year life span. Despite this, the software has a number of shortcomings and a principal aim of this paper is to provide a balanced critical appraisal, in particular highlighting how various ideas have led to unprecedented flexibility while at the same time producing negative side effects. We also present a historical overview of the BUGS project and some future perspectives. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.