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Author Howard Schreier gives us the scoop on his dynamic new book PROC SQL by Example: Using SQL within SAS.
Authorline (AL): Tell us a little about your new book.
- Howard Schreier (HS): It's about SQL (Structured Query Language). I try to explain and illustrate all of the important constructs, and to show parallel techniques using the DATA step
and some of the other widely used procedures. I wrote this mostly for people who want to add PROC SQL to their SAS toolkits. Then there are the people who know SQL from DBMS work and are just
getting into SAS. They'll get something from the book, but they'll have to hold it up to a mirror to read it.
(AL): Is a certain level of SAS experience recommended?
- (HS): I mentioned before that there are a lot of parallel examples, where a task is done once with SQL and again with the DATA step. I try to explain the SQL code thoroughly, but
I assume that the reader pretty well understands the DATA step counterpart. Of course I know that in reality there are even experienced users who are rusty on certain features. So I've
included a lot of documentation references, and a number of references to the very popular The Little SAS Book: A Primer, Fourth Edition, so that readers can easily get reinforcement where they need it.
(AL): How will your book benefit users?
- (HS): The book will acquaint SAS users with a lot of SQL technique, and give them more options when they have SAS problems to solve. My perspective is that SQL is neither better
nor worse than "old" SAS ways, but rather is a major extension to the set of options, one which opens the door to "mixed" solutions (part SQL, part not).
(AL): How did you decide to publish with SAS?
- (HS): I've spoken with other SAS Press authors who had nothing but good things to say, and I got significant encouragement from SAS Press people whom I've met at user conferences.
(AL): Any highlights of your publishing experience?
- (HS): The whole process has gone well, and the SAS Press people have been accommodating even through some fluctuations in my rate of progress; they really are easy to work with.
(AL): Are you involved with any user organizations or conferences?
- (HS): Many. I've attended, and spoken at, a number of SUGI and SGF conferences. I've done the same at NESUG and have also served as a section chair at a few regional conferences.
There is an active local user group in the Washington, DC, area, and I've been on its steering committee for a number of years. I'm probably best known for my participation on the SAS-L list,
where I've posted around 7,000 times over the past 20 years. Recently, I've become involved with the new sasCommunity.org site.
(AL): When you aren't working, how do you enjoy spending your free time?
- (HS): I'll just mention a couple of things that are pretty constant. I've been involved in the work of Amnesty International for many years, and have served it in a
lot of capacities. Where I live, in the Washington, DC, area, there is an incredible amount of live music performance; I try to avail myself of at least a bit of that.
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