Date:         Fri, 13 Jun 2003 11:54:15 +0100
Reply-To:     Nigel.Pain@SCOTLAND.GSI.GOV.UK
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Nigel Pain <Nigel.Pain@SCOTLAND.GSI.GOV.UK>
Subject:      Re: Newsgroups & Usergroups
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Ray

Different country, and not related to a LUG, but I have discussed SAS-L with
some of my immediate colleagues. A common comment is that there is too much
"incoming" for them to cope with (I handle that by receiving Digests). A
sign of a useful and active group, I would have thought. But then, if you're
not prepared to contribute you're not going to benefit either I suppose.

Regards,
Nigel

***************************************************
Nigel Pain
Scottish Executive
Analytical Services Team
Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH
EH6 6QQ
UK
Tel +44 131 244 7237

Mailto:nigel.pain@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Website: http:\\www.scotland.gov.uk




> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ray Pass [mailto:raypass@ATT.NET]
> Sent: 12 June 2003 15:57
> Subject: Newsgroups & Usergroups
>
>
> Interesting how these things work.  I don't mind admitting
> that I was the
> one who privately asked Jack for an explanation of newsgroups
> as I am a
> "newsgroup nothing".  I asked him to keep it to a paragraph
> as I did not
> want to impose on his time and I could just as easily look it
> up somewhere
> without him having to compose a lesson for me.  Well, in his
> usual generous
> way, he not only sent me TWO paragraphs, but also expanded
> his note for
> SAS-L as you saw here.  Thanks Jack.
>
> Then at the NYASUG meeting, as Roger reports, I asked my
> usual question
> about how many members subscribed to SAS-L, and got my usual
> answer - less
> than half - actually, way less than half.  I emcee the meetings, which
> always include a Random Access session in which anybody can
> ask anything
> about SAS and hopefully will get an answer from the audience
> - sort of a
> mini SAS-L session.  A question came up about the maximum
> length of a file
> path that could be used in PROC IMPORT or EXPORT.  The answer
> wasn't quite
> apparent in the audience although a few had some ideas.  So
> once again I
> mentioned that if this question were put out to SAS-L, the
> asker would have
> an audience of over 2000 possible responders (at which point Roger
> corrected me in that it would be over 4000 if we counted the
> recruiters)
> instead of just the 80 or so in the room.  So once again I
> went into my
> rant about joining SAS-L, this time accompanied by two of the
> SAS Masters
> themselves, Ian and Bob.  I also predicted to them both,
> publicly I might
> add, that at the next meeting, the response would be no
> different than it
> was today.  I attribute a lot of that to NuYawk apathy.
>
> So here's my question.  Is this a common experience in other
> parts of the
> country?  I would think that people who take the time to
> attend SAS LUG
> meetings (Local User Groups are affectionately known as LUGs)
> would also be
> interested in availing themselves of the riches of SAS-L,
> especially after
> being bombarded with testimonials at least four times a year
> (I do admit
> that the other NYASUG members at the meetings who ARE SAS-L
> subscribers
> help me in my crusade).
>
> This is not an urgent issue at all, but more of a
> SASiological one.  It may
> be OT for SAS, but perhaps not for SAS-L.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Ray
>
>
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> | Ray Pass Consulting      eFax: (914) 206-3780  |
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