Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 12:36:39 -0800
Reply-To: Seymour Douglas <sdougla@EMORY.EDU>
Sender: "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: Seymour Douglas <sdougla@EMORY.EDU>
Organization: Department of Economics Emory University
Subject: Re: SAS vs. SPSS
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Jeff,
I share your sentiment. SAS is more flexible than SPSS but SPSS is a
billion times easier. If your work involves standard analysis 90% of the time
oyu are better off with SPSS. Its data handling is getting much better and
version 10 is super flexible, if oyu can get a no-license arrangement where you
buy the software without having to worry about expiration you sshould try it,
you might end up using SAS as a last resort formost of your work. Even you must
admit, SAS is a little incestuous, you really have to be o n the inside to get
to know it.
Jeffrey L. Bock wrote:
> Hi All!
>
> I am a statistician and not a programmer. I have been using SAS for over 20
> years, first on the mainframe and now on the PC. Most of my work involves
> consulting on environmental projects, which can lead to handling some very
> large datasets.
>
> It is time for us to renew our annual SAS license. This always seems to be
> more difficult than it should be. Recently, someone in purchasing made a
> comment to someone in management that went something like this, "Well, you
> know, SPSS is cheaper."
>
> Now, I have to write a recomendation on why we should continue using SAS in
> our company (4 SAS users, > 50 yrs. combined SAS experience, NO SPSS
> experience). I am not ready to give up SAS, which has been working well for
> me all this time, and learn a new software package like SPSS just to save(?)
> some money.
>
> Surely, this topic has been debated in the past. I have looked and cannot
> find anything. Could someone point me to a resource for infomation or share
> some firsthand experience. Thank You.
>
> Jeff Bock
> Statistician
> Performance Development Corp.
> Oak Ridge, TN
--
Seymour Douglas
Department of Economics
Emory University
Rich Memorial Building 331
1602 Mizell Drive
Atlanta, GA 30322-2240
Ph: 404-727-1128 Fax: 404-727-4639
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