SAS help needed

[SKuc04]

Hello Everybody,

I am new to SAS and want to get SAS Cerification - BASE Programming. For practice, I want to download the software on my laptop. Can somebody guide me, which version to download and what will be the best possible way to prepare to score the test/certification? Thanks in advance for all the help!

Regards,
SK

 

[ChrisW75]

Hi SK, well, first of all, good luck with your Certification. Apparently it's quite a difficult test (one day I really should go for it myself). As for downloading the software, well, version 9.1.3 is the latest and greatest version. However, it isn't available for download, and comes in a huge folder with about 20 CDs for all the different components. It's also extremely expensive (I think about AU$3000/yr for a PC licence). The software requires a licence file (referred to as a Setinit, or a SID) which SAS tailors to your environment.
Really the only way to get practice is to work somewhere where they have SAS installed. If you work somewhere that has SAS, speak to those responsible for the software (usually the IT department) about getting your hands on a copy. Usually most places will allow you to install it on a separate machine as long as it's for work purposes only and you're only using it in the one place at once (a "per user" licence rather than "per seat" licence). As for illigitimate copies, no idea at all. I'd imagine that they would be difficult to come by.

Something else to look into are the code samples and example on the SAS support website (support.sas.com), plus, obviously, us here on the Tek-Tips forum.

Good luck.
Chris.