Date:         Thu, 7 Sep 2000 12:04:05 -0500
Reply-To:     greg.woolridge@TAP.COM
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Greg  Woolridge <greg.woolridge@TAP.COM>
Subject:      Re: Essential-but-overlooked Technical skills in SAS?
Comments: To: Doug Zirbel <doug_zirbel@HOTMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

OK Doug, I'll put in my 2 cents.

When I am looking for a new programmer I expect him/her to at least be
familair with the following:

data _null_
substr function
scan function
index function
what a macro is and how to call it (how to write one is a plus)
%let
by statement
where statement
if, then, else
do loops
arrays
proc freq
in= option for data sets

Since we do a lot of report writing in my shop, I find myself looking for
knowledge of proc report a lot more these days.

Hope this helps to get the discussion headed in the direction you want.

Greg M. Woolridge
Manager, Study Programming
TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc.
e-mail: greg.woolridge@tap.com
phone:  847-582-2332
fax:  847-582-2403



                    Doug Zirbel
                    <doug_zirbel@HO        To:     SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
                    TMAIL.COM>             cc:
                    Sent by:               Subject:     Essential-but-overlooked Technical skills in SAS?
                    "SAS(r)
                    Discussion"
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                    09/07/00 11:10
                    AM
                    Please respond
                    to Doug Zirbel





I posted this query, with slightly different wording, last Friday, and was
surprised by some of the results.

Namely, several of you stressed sound theoretical understanding of the
software development process (syst dev life cycle, Carnegie-Mellon Software
Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model, documentation,
requirements-gathering) etc.

In other words, there are some higher-level skills which should be part of
"the basics."  Point well taken.

Now, what about those strictly technical SAS skills?  Yes, everyone should
know how to write a data step, proc print etc etc, but...

don't you run into SAS programmers from time to time, who are simply not
even aware of some function or proc that you use all the time?
... or, (null hypothesis) do all experienced SAS programmers already know
90% of the "most productive SAS technical skill set"?