Wednesday, 12 October 2011
NOTE: More Tip Sheets
In response to the SAS/Base tip sheets I mentioned a couple of weeks back, Rick Wicklin sent me a comment to say he'd been inspired to publish a couple of tip sheets for SAS/IML. He's highlighted these in his latest posting on his The DO Loop blog. One is for standard SAS/IML coding, the other is for the IMLPlus language - available through SAS/IML Studio. Both look very smart and very useful.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
NOTE: IBM to Acquire Platform Computing
There's interesting news coming out of IBM this afternoon with their announcement that they are to acquire Platform Computing. This is of relevance to SAS customers because Platform Computing supplies key parts of some SAS solutions (such as the LSF for scheduling and RTM for grid monitoring).
IBM would like to see themselves as competitors for SAS. Their disparate portfolio of products includes SPSS, Cognos and DataStage. All have been acquired (rather than developed in-house) and all provide various levels of integration with each other. IBM may be reluctant to share their soon-to-be-acquired technology with competitors such as SAS. On the other hand, SAS may have a firm, long-term supply contract with Platform.
If we assume that SAS were aware of IBM's interest in Platform, one wonders whether they considered out-bidding IBM. Or do SAS have an in-house set of solutions that they might roll-out soon?...
Clearly, nothing's going to suddenly stop working, and nothing's going to change in the near future, so this acquisition isn't a concern for SAS customers. However, it's a matter of interest for SAS customers, and I for one am intrigued to see what the longer-term outcome of this acquisition turns-out to be.
IBM would like to see themselves as competitors for SAS. Their disparate portfolio of products includes SPSS, Cognos and DataStage. All have been acquired (rather than developed in-house) and all provide various levels of integration with each other. IBM may be reluctant to share their soon-to-be-acquired technology with competitors such as SAS. On the other hand, SAS may have a firm, long-term supply contract with Platform.
If we assume that SAS were aware of IBM's interest in Platform, one wonders whether they considered out-bidding IBM. Or do SAS have an in-house set of solutions that they might roll-out soon?...
Clearly, nothing's going to suddenly stop working, and nothing's going to change in the near future, so this acquisition isn't a concern for SAS customers. However, it's a matter of interest for SAS customers, and I for one am intrigued to see what the longer-term outcome of this acquisition turns-out to be.
NOTE: Enterprise Guide Autoexec
I'm part-teaching 10 Tips for Organising Your SAS Enterprise Guide Projects (EG1) in Marlow this week. Thus I was all the more interested to note the latest posting in the SAS Dummy blog wherein Chris Hemedinger lists his top ten EG tips.
The tips are applicable to all levels of EG expertise. Quite apart from being reminded that we can change the background colour of each process flow (tip 8), I was most grateful for the reminder of the ability to have an automatically executed process flow in EG 4.3 (tip 9). Chris provided some background/history to this back in January. If you're using EG 4.2 you can't use the autoexec process flow to provide a project-specific autoexec, but you can use Tools -> Options -> SAS Programs to create a "user-specific" autoexec.
The tips are applicable to all levels of EG expertise. Quite apart from being reminded that we can change the background colour of each process flow (tip 8), I was most grateful for the reminder of the ability to have an automatically executed process flow in EG 4.3 (tip 9). Chris provided some background/history to this back in January. If you're using EG 4.2 you can't use the autoexec process flow to provide a project-specific autoexec, but you can use Tools -> Options -> SAS Programs to create a "user-specific" autoexec.
NOTE: Free SAS Book (ODS Graphics)
You don't have to have an Amazon Kindle device to read Kindle books, which is why the free copies of the Kindle version of SAS 9.3 ODS Graphics caught my eye and led me to acquire a copy for myself (albeit through a convoluted route because I live in the UK).
I have the kindle reader software on my PC, my Android tablet, and my Android phone, so I can get myself updated on SAS graphics almost anywhere I like. Amazon's own readers are limited to black and white viewing (except for the new Kindle Fire), whereas my PC and Android devices display the book's contents in colour - handy for a book about graphics.
This Kindle book is free until October 16. Don't hesitate, don't miss out!
I have the kindle reader software on my PC, my Android tablet, and my Android phone, so I can get myself updated on SAS graphics almost anywhere I like. Amazon's own readers are limited to black and white viewing (except for the new Kindle Fire), whereas my PC and Android devices display the book's contents in colour - handy for a book about graphics.
This Kindle book is free until October 16. Don't hesitate, don't miss out!
Thursday, 6 October 2011
NOTE: Security Metadata Tool Enhanced (Metacoda Security Plug-Ins)
Back in April at SAS Global Forum (SGF) I wrote to say how I was impressed by the Metacoda Security Plug-Ins. SAS's security capabilities are not in question; the Metacoda Security Plug-Ins are a collection of plug-ins for SAS Management Console offering a large number of new, business-focused views on your SAS security metadata, making SAS's range of security capabilities more accessible, understandable, and easier to use.
The version I saw in April worked for SAS version 9.1.3 and 9.2. Michelle from Metacoda recently dropped me a line to highlight version 2 of the plug-ins. Version 2 introduces support for SAS 9.3. I recommend you take a look and contact Metacoda for more information.
And, Metacoda's Paul Homes's blog is featured in the right-hand margin of the NOTE: web site. If your job responsibilities/interests include SAS platform administration then Paul's blog will undoubtedly be a good read for you.
The version I saw in April worked for SAS version 9.1.3 and 9.2. Michelle from Metacoda recently dropped me a line to highlight version 2 of the plug-ins. Version 2 introduces support for SAS 9.3. I recommend you take a look and contact Metacoda for more information.
And, Metacoda's Paul Homes's blog is featured in the right-hand margin of the NOTE: web site. If your job responsibilities/interests include SAS platform administration then Paul's blog will undoubtedly be a good read for you.
BBC, on SAS
The BBC's Technology of Business site featured an interview with SAS's Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Keith Collins this week. The interview is themed on "big data" and it includes Keith's thoughts on the accelerating interest in understanding one's customers. Use of the internet as a channel for promoting and selling products and services means that even the smallest of organisations can reach large volumes of (potential) customers. All of these companies are potential beneficiaries of customer intelligence.
It's an interesting interview, and worthy of a read.
Keith finishes-off by talking of one or two mistakes he feels he's made, one of which was not realising how fast the market for tablet computers would develop. If you thought there a lot of mobile BI stuff at SAS Global Forum this year, next year will be even bigger!
It's an interesting interview, and worthy of a read.
Keith finishes-off by talking of one or two mistakes he feels he's made, one of which was not realising how fast the market for tablet computers would develop. If you thought there a lot of mobile BI stuff at SAS Global Forum this year, next year will be even bigger!
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