# S-PLUS

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Implementation of the S programming language

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S-PLUS Developer TIBCO Software Inc. Stable release 8.2 / November 2010; 15 years ago (2010-11) Operating system Windows, Unix/Linux Type Statistical package License Proprietary

**S-PLUS** was a commercial implementation of the [S programming language](/source/S_(programming_language)) sold by [TIBCO Software](/source/TIBCO_Software) Inc.

It features object-oriented programming capabilities and advanced analytical algorithms. Its statistical analysis capabilities are commonly used by [econometricians](/source/Econometrics). The S-PLUS FinMetrics software package was developed for econometric time series analysis.[1]

Due to the increasing popularity of the open source S successor [R](/source/R_(programming_language)), TIBCO Software released the [TIBCO Enterprise Runtime for R (TERR)](https://docs.tibco.com/products/tibco-enterprise-runtime-for-r) as an alternative R interpreter.[2] It is available on [Windows](/source/Windows) and [UNIX](/source/UNIX) operating systems.[3]

## [4]Historical timeline

S-PLUS floppy disk installation media

In 1988, S-PLUS was first developed and released by a Seattle-based start-up company called Statistical Sciences, Inc.[5] The company's founder and sole owner was R. Douglas Martin, professor of statistics at the [University of Washington](/source/University_of_Washington), Seattle. Martin originally learned S while working at Bell Laboratories, where the S language was originally developed.[1] At the time of its release, S-PLUS was one of the first examples of software that implemented algorithms for [generalized linear models](/source/Generalized_linear_models), second to [GLIM](/source/GLIM_(software)).[6]

Statistical Sciences acquired the exclusive license to distribute S and merged with MathSoft in 1993, becoming the firm's Data Analysis Products Division (DAPD).[7]

In 1995, S-PLUS 3.3 for [Windows 95](/source/Windows_95)/NT was released, including the Matrix library, command history capability, and Trellis graphics. This was followed by the release of S-PLUS 3.4 for UNIX in 1996. This version included a [non-linear mixed-effects modeling](/source/Non-linear_mixed-effects_modeling_software) library, hexagonal binning, and cluster methods. S-PLUS 4 was released for Windows in 1997, with features such as an updated GUI, integration with [Excel](/source/Microsoft_Excel), and editable graphics. S-PLUS 4.5 for Windows in 1998, with [Scatterplot](/source/Scatterplot) brushing, and the ability to create S-PLUS graphs from within [Excel](/source/Microsoft_Excel) & [SPSS](/source/SPSS). The software also became available for Linux & [Solaris](/source/Solaris_(operating_system)).

In 1999, S-PLUS 5 was released for Solaris, Linux, [HP-UX](/source/HP-UX), [AIX](/source/AIX_(operating_system)), [IRIX](/source/IRIX), and [DEC Alpha](/source/DEC_Alpha). S-PLUS 2000 for Windows. nlme 3.3, [quality control](/source/Quality_control) charting, and new commands for data manipulation. This was followed by S-PLUS 6 for [Linux](/source/Linux)/[Unix](/source/Unix) in 2000. This version had a Java-based GUI, Graphlets, survival5, and a library for handling missing data.

In 2001, MathSoft sold its Cambridge-based Engineering and Education Products Division (EEPD), was renamed Insightful Corporation, and moved headquarters to Seattle. This essentially reversed the previous merger between MathSoft and Statistical Sciences, Inc.[8] S-PLUS Analytic Server 2.0. S-PLUS 6 was released for Windows in 2001.

In 2002, StatServer 6 was released and the student edition of S-PLUS became free. S-PLUS 6.2 was released and ported to AIX. In 2004, Insightful purchased the S language from [Lucent Technologies](/source/Lucent_Technologies) for $2 million, and released S+ArrayAnalyzer 2.0.

S-PLUS 7.0 was released in 2005, including the BigData library for working with larger-than-memory data sets and the S-PLUS Workbench ([Eclipse](/source/Eclipse_(software)) development tool). Insightful Miner 7.0 was also released. In 2007, S-PLUS 8 was released with a new package system, language extensions for [R](/source/R_(programming_language)) package compatibility, and a workbench debugger.

TIBCO acquired Insightful Corporation for $25 million in 2008.[9]

On 31st January 2026, TIBCO officially retired the product.[10]

## See also

- [R programming language](/source/R_programming_language)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) Mills, Terence C.; Patterson, Kerry (2009-06-25). [*Palgrave Handbook of Econometrics: Volume 2: Applied Econometrics*](https://books.google.com/books?id=pjIWDAAAQBAJ&dq=s+plus+douglas+r+martin&pg=PA1339). Springer. p. 1339. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-230-24440-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-230-24440-5).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Bajuk-Yorgan, Lou. ["What Makes TIBCO Enterprise Runtime for R (TERR) Unique?"](https://www.tibco.com/blog/2014/08/06/26509/). *TIBCO Software Inc*. Retrieved 28 January 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [*Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences, Volume 12*](https://books.google.com/books?id=8plKEAAAQBAJ&dq=s+plus+douglas+r+martin&pg=PA8088). John Wiley & Sons. 2005-12-16. p. 8088. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-471-74406-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-471-74406-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Retirement Notice for Certain Spotfire Products"](https://support.tibco.com/external/article/137342/retirement-notice-for-certain-spotfire-p.html). *support.tibco.com*. Retrieved 2026-05-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Nicholls, Andy; Pugh, Richard; Gott, Aimee (2015-12-16). [*R in 24 Hours, Sams Teach Yourself*](https://books.google.com/books?id=IPA0CwAAQBAJ&dq=s+plus+tibco&pg=PP31). Sams Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-13-428880-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-13-428880-2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Hardin, James W.; Hilbe, Joseph M. (2002-07-30). [*Generalized Estimating Equations*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Ux7NBQAAQBAJ&dq=trevor+hastie+s+language&pg=PA12). CRC Press. p. 12. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4200-3528-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4200-3528-5).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Venables, William; Ripley, B. D. (2013-03-09). [*S Programming*](https://books.google.com/books?id=juAlBQAAQBAJ&dq=statistical+sciences+mathsoft+merger+1993&pg=PA3). Springer Science & Business Media. p. 3. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-387-21856-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-387-21856-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [MATHSOFT SELLS ENGINEERING AND EDUCATION PRODUCTS DIVISION; COMPANY APPOINTS NEW CEO AND CHANGES NAME TO INSIGHTFUL](https://web.archive.org/web/20010303113409/http://www.insightful.com/news/insightful.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [TIBCO Completes Acquisition of Insightful Corporation](https://web.archive.org/web/20080914153015/http://tibco.com/company/news/releases/2008/press924.jsp), press release, TIBCO Software Inc., September 3, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Retirement Notice for Certain Spotfire Products"](https://support.tibco.com/external/article/137342/retirement-notice-for-certain-spotfire-p.html). *support.tibco.com*. Retrieved 2026-05-09.

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