SAS (software)

SAS is a powerful software tool used for working with data and making smart decisions. It was created by a company called SAS Institute to help people manage information, understand patterns, and predict future trends.

The software was first developed at North Carolina State University between 1966 and 1976. Over the years, it has grown to include many new features, like special ways to look at data and tools for business planning.

In 2004, SAS got a new way for people to use it by clicking with a mouse instead of just typing. Later, in 2010, it also learned how to work with information from social media sites. In 2016, SAS introduced a new set of tools called SAS Viya, which helps computers learn and make decisions using artificial intelligence.

Today, SAS is used by many companies and organizations around the world to help them make better choices using their data.

Technical overview and terminology

SAS is a software tool that helps people work with data and use it for smart decisions. It can gather, change, and organize information from many places and then study that information in detail. SAS has a simple way for people to use it without needing to type lots of commands, and it also has a special language for those who like to write code.

SAS works in steps. One step is for getting and changing data, while another step is for studying the data to learn useful things. These steps follow rules and can do many different jobs, like sorting information or showing it in pictures. SAS can also repeat tasks easily with small pieces of code called macros. The results from SAS can be saved in many formats, like pictures, documents, or spreadsheets, so others can see them too. There are many extra tools that come with SAS to help with different kinds of work, such as studying statistics, making graphs, or understanding business information.

History

The development of SAS began in 1966 at North Carolina State University when Anthony Barr started programming software to help analyze agricultural data. He was joined by James Goodnight, a student, who helped create the statistical parts of the software. Together, they became the leaders of the project.

In 1976, Barr, Goodnight, and others formed SAS Institute, Inc.. Over the years, SAS added many new features and tools. In the 1980s and 1990s, it introduced special parts for different uses, like graphics and time series analysis. In 2004, SAS added a simple, point-and-click interface to make it easier for more people to use.

In recent years, SAS has focused on helping with artificial intelligence and data analysis. It has made big investments to improve tools for machine learning and working with large amounts of data.

Software products

As of 2011, SAS offered many tools to help understand customers. These tools could look at websites, social media, and marketing to learn about people and predict what they might do next. They also helped manage messages to customers.

SAS also had special tools to find unusual activities that might mean fraud. These tools watch money and assets using smart computer methods.

SAS made tools for many different areas, like risk management, government work, shopping places, phone companies, airplane making, and fast computer work. They also had tools for health care and medicine.

Comparison to other products

See also: Comparison of statistical packages

In 2005, a writer named Alan C. Acock said SAS had many powerful tools for working with data, but it was hard to learn. Other tools like SPSS and Stata were easier but not as powerful. He thought SAS was best for people who used it a lot, while others might prefer SPSS or Stata.

Some other companies, like Revolution Analytics and Alpine Data Labs, said their tools cost less than SAS. In 2011, a writer named Doug Henschen found that starting up with these tools cost about the same, but SAS made more money from yearly fees instead of one-time fees.

SAS Viya

Main article: SAS Viya

In 2016, SAS introduced Viya, a new way to work with data and smart computer programs. Viya could run on internet services and work better with other computer tools like Python and Jupyter. In 2020, Viya got even better with new computer methods. SAS still sells the older SAS 9.4 along with Viya.

In 2023, SAS showed two new tools for Viya: Workbench for building smart models and App Factory for making smart applications. Both will be available to everyone in 2024. Viya also started working on Microsoft Azure in 2023, where people could pay as they use it.

Also in 2023, SAS created SAS Health, a new way to handle health data using the Viya system.

Adoption

SAS is very popular for advanced analytics. In 2013, it had the largest share of this market with 35.4 percent. It is also one of the top companies for business intelligence software, holding a 6.9% share. SAS competes with other well-known companies like SAP BusinessObjects, IBM Cognos, SPSS Modeler, Oracle Hyperion, and Microsoft Power BI. In 2011, a study showed that SAS was used in over 42 percent of health service research studies.

Uses and applications

SAS software helps people study and understand information in many areas. In schools, it is used to see how students are learning and growing. Some states like Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Missouri, and North Dakota use it to check on learning changes after tough times.

In nature studies, SAS works with groups to make tools that learn from pictures about forests and coastlines. For example, it helps watch over sea animals and tiny plants in the water. In money matters, SAS helps governments find mistakes and keep things fair.