Accessing data in SAS
This section covers how accessing data in SAS changed over the years:
First, SAS data storage moved from punch cards to mainframes.
Next, the invention of personal computers (PCs) led to reconfiguring how SAS data was accessed.
Consequently, reading data into SAS from external data files became more common.
In this section, we will discuss how to read data in SAS from an external file, as well as the opportunities and limitations of how SAS processes data.
Upgrading to mainframes
In 1979, Databank of New Zealand adapted SAS to run under IBM's VM/CMS system using IBM's disk operating system (DOS), thus solving the punch card problem and establishing SAS as mainframe software that was remotely hosted. This represented essentially the second rewrite of SAS since its 1976 rewrite. This upgrade made SAS more easily accessible to more customers. It also facilitated the ability for SAS to include more sophisticated components to...
