Max,

You hit on a complex issue. First, one of the purposes of SAS-L is to give SAS users a way to find the answers to their questions. And, historically, it has always been suggested that one first search to find the answer to already addressed questions.

Is it useful to be reminded about already asked questions? Definitely!

Is it an exceptional learning tool to be able to teach others how to use SAS and/or become good programmers? Unquestionably!

Is feeling part of a community an important part of being involved with SAS? In my opinion, most definitely!

Do our various goals conflict with each other? Of course!

How can we both accomplish our goals yet still keep SAS-L viable? That is the question! Possibly 42 is the answer, but I'm not sure how to apply it.

Art

kwsas-l kwviable kwconflict kwpurpose ------- On Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:43:05 -0500, bbser 2009 <bbser2009@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

>Here is something negative: Suppose we already had an advanced way searching >answers for questions. >I might find the whichn() from SAS-L by myself and ended up without posting >the question "equal 5 or not, easier way?" >Then Nat, Art, Joe might not know this function so far. :) > >Max > >-----Original Message----- >From: SAS(r) Discussion [mailto:SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Chang >Chung >Sent: January-18-11 5:02 PM >To: SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU >Subject: Re: [SAS-L] Keywords for SAS-L? (WAS: equal 5 or not, easier way?) > >On Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:45:32 -0500, Arthur Tabachneck <art297@ROGERS.COM> >wrote: >... >>On a related note, Liang (Oloolo), Rich LaValley and Don Henderson are just >>starting a project, sponsored by SAS Publishing, where we are attempting to >>mine and categorize and possibly index all SAS-L posts. The effort is >>really to develop a how-to publication regarding text mining, but could end >>up providing the basis for an effort like Joe suggested. >... > >Since these authors are experts on sas and on sas-l, I expect that their >index should beat google search's. I would be interested in knowing how they >utilize these "domain specific" knowledge in the construction of the index; >and how much improvement they can make over and above google's search as a >result. Good luck!