I know that for every SAS user event there are many people who aren't able to attend or who have to choose between two or more great sessions. So a couple of days ago, I started a discussion on several SAS users LinkedIn groups asking those of you who are attending SAS Users Groups events to send me a short blog post about your favorite presentations. So far, I've only gotten a couple of responses - funny responses. Check them out, and then send me yours by email or write it in the comments below.   

Art Tabachneck sent me an email after my discussion posted on the SAS Users Groups LinkedIn Group. (Sounds like he's going to be quite busy at MWSUG!) 

While I'll be presenting four papers at MWSUG, and think all four provide valuable information for anyone who uses SAS (I'm just a little biased in my appraisal), I'd have to narrow my favorites down to two.

Both papers represent attempts to do things with base SAS that most users don't even realize they can do: 

• Copy and Paste Almost Anything  (Monday, 3:30 PM - 4:20 PM, Location: Greenway HI): This paper started as a solution to correct for some of Proc Import's limitations in importing spreadsheets, but ended up as a solution for importing virtually any data that one can copy to their system's clipboard. 
• Automagically Copying and Pasting Variable Names(Monday, 2:30 PM - 2:50 PM, Location: Greenway HI):This shows an unbelievably useful feature that has been in SAS since at least version 8 but, surprisingly, remains virtually unknown to most users.  And, while the paper idea started off as a solution to a specific problem, it provides a method that can be used to automagically run any SAS procedure.

I can't take sole credit (or blame) for either paper, as I was just one of a collaborative group in both cases.  My co-authors, between the two papers, included  John King, Tom Abernathy, Roger DeAngelis, Andrew Clapson, Randy Herbison, Nate Derby, Richard DeVenezia and Ben Powell.

The other two papers, of course, are also among my favorites, or I wouldn't have helped to write them.

LeRoy Bessler posted a comment on the SAS Users Groups LinkedIn Group about a session at SeSUG:

My favorite reminiscence about SAS users conference favorites was an announcement by Art Cook (then the head of SAS Europe, Middle East, and Africa) and host of SeUGI (SAS European Users Group International) 2000. At Closing Session he announced the names (and topics) of Best Presenters. He included a comment by one of the judges who said about her selection, "And I would like to date him."

LeRoy also asked in jest on the SAS Network LinkedIn Group:

Waynette,
Will you praise my objectivity and good judgment if I tell you that my own MWSUG presentations are my favorites?
Best Regards,
LeRoy

Of course, LeRoy. I'm a bit partial to my presentations, too.  (You might be surprised, but my mother loves mine best too.)

As you can see, this posting thing is easy and kind of fun.  Now, tell me about your favorite session!!

 There are already more than 410 of your peers signed up for the nest SAS Users Group conference - MidWest SAS Users Group. the conference is Sept. 16- 18, and you can register at the door through Sept. 18!! I'll see you there. Oh, and if you can't attend MWSUG,  check out this list of all other SAS Users Group events to find an event near you.