WPS, which uses the language of SAS, and is much more moderately priced- recently announced Version 3 As per Minequest-http://www.minequest.com/ Prices start from $1206. WPS  is a SAS language alternative application that can run most of your existing Base programs without modification. WPS also provides support for a limited subset of graphics via WPS Graphing and statistical procedures via WPS Statistics. In addition to the broad language support, WPS is affordably priced and much less restrictive in its licensing. WPS supports many elements of the language including the macro language facility, the data step, most of the PROCS found in base, and includes access engines to ODBC, DB/2, Oracle, MySQL, OLE DB, Informix, GreenPlum, Sybase, Teradata, SPSS and other database systems. WPS has a feature that allows you to develop extensions for it. http://teamwpc.co.uk/products/wps/modules/language_sdk Develop Custom Language Items Anyone who is familiar with traditional programming languages such as Assembler, C or C++ can use the WPS Language SDK developer module to add language items to extend the language of SAS support in WPS. Once you have created your own custom language items, you can freely redistribute them to anybody who uses WPS on the same platform. Some existing third Party extensions are- http://www.minequest.com/Bridge2R.html Bridge to R for WPS The Bridge to R is an application created and developed by MineQuest that allows the WPS programmer to access the R system. With the Bridge to R, WPS Users can write and execute R code from within the WPS Workbench or in batch mode using WPS. A simple yet powerful integration facility allows the WPS developer to write R statements to access advanced features found in R, test algorithms and create new statistical methodologies. One of the greatest advantages of the Bridge to R is that you and your developers can use the SAS language for manipulating and reporting your data and use R for advanced graphics and statistical computing. The Bridge to R allows WPS Users to write R code and execute R code from within the WPS Workbench and receive the results back in the appropriate log and listing window. The Bridge to R even supports running your WPS and R programs in batch for production purposes. It allows you to use either 32-bit or 64-bit R depending on whether your OS platform supports 64-bit computing. On 64-bit  platforms with sufficient RAM, developers can process large amounts of data using R. The Bridge to R requires WPS 2.5 or higher. The Bridge is provided as part of the Analyst Power Package and is included when you license WPS from MineQuest. http://www.minequest.com/WindowsPowerPack.html Parallel Process with MPExec MPExec allows the WPS developer to dramatically reduce processing time by easily implementing parallel processing on their Windows workstation or  server. MPExec allows WPS developers to take existing WPS/SAS code and by inserting a few statements, allow your programs to access all the cores  and resources on your Windows hardware platform. MPExec allows you to parallel process up to 255 tasks and manages the collection of log and listing  files for you. Other 3rd party applications are- http://www.uniqcus.com/english/products.html UniQZConnect UniQZConnect will allow your SAS and WPS users to have a SAS or WPS session on a Windows Workstation to connect directly to SAS or WPS on z/OS. This give the user the ability to download and upload data from and to z/OS, but also to submit SAS jobs for remote execution. The product support Wizard user dialog, full script interface, and a mixture of theese. The Performance of the product is only limited by your current mainframe bottle necks and the current transfer limits of your FTP connection. The Security is handled through FTP ensuring that you are in compliance with your current security policies. You can download a product sheet for UniQZConnect here. and an upcoming application from Wolfgang at http://www.wcmat.com/cmat/ Things ToDo CMAT was first written for Unix and later for Windows. We are now working on a 32 bit version for Linux and Unix, and after that on a 64 bit version for Windows, Linux, and Unix. We are also working on an interface to WPS and R. ----- Overall creating applications or extensions can help WPS reach a wider audience. While Rapid Miner also has an marketplace for extensions and JMP also has extensions, one critical feature in statistical computing development is where coders can finally earn some money by creating algorithms, packages and extensions (atleast to compare with game creators on mobiles!!)      

WPS, which uses the language of SAS, and is much more moderately priced- recently announced Version 3

As per Minequest-http://www.minequest.com/

Prices start from $1206.

WPS  is a SAS language alternative application that can run most of your existing Base
programs without modification. WPS also provides support for a limited subset of
graphics via WPS Graphing and statistical procedures via WPS Statistics.

In addition to the broad language support, WPS is affordably priced and much less
restrictive in its licensing. WPS supports many elements of the language including
the macro language facility, the data step, most of the PROCS found in base, and
includes access engines to ODBC, DB/2, Oracle, MySQL, OLE DB, Informix,
GreenPlum, Sybase, Teradata, SPSS and other database systems.

WPS has a feature that allows you to develop extensions for it.

http://teamwpc.co.uk/products/wps/modules/language_sdk

Develop Custom Language Items

Anyone who is familiar with traditional programming languages such as Assembler, C or C++ can use the WPS Language SDK developer module to add language items to extend the language of SAS support in WPS.

Once you have created your own custom language items, you can freely redistribute them to anybody who uses WPS on the same platform.

Some existing third Party extensions are-

http://www.minequest.com/Bridge2R.html

Bridge to R for WPS
The Bridge to R is an application created and developed by MineQuest that allows the WPS
programmer to access the R system. With the Bridge to R, WPS Users can write and execute R code
from within the WPS Workbench or in batch mode using WPS. A simple yet powerful integration facility
allows the WPS developer to write R statements to access advanced features found in R, test
algorithms and create new statistical methodologies.

One of the greatest advantages of the Bridge to R is that you and your developers can use the SAS
language for manipulating and reporting your data and use R for advanced graphics and statistical
computing. The Bridge to R allows WPS Users to write R code and execute R code from within the
WPS Workbench and receive the results back in the appropriate log and listing window. The Bridge to
R even supports running your WPS and R programs in batch for production purposes.

It allows you to use either 32-bit or 64-bit R depending on whether your OS platform supports 64-bit computing. On 64-bit  platforms with sufficient RAM, developers can process large amounts of data using R.

The Bridge to R requires WPS 2.5 or higher. The Bridge is provided as part of the Analyst Power Package
and is included when you license WPS from MineQuest.

http://www.minequest.com/WindowsPowerPack.html

Parallel Process with MPExec
MPExec allows the WPS developer to dramatically reduce processing time by easily implementing parallel processing on their Windows workstation or  server. MPExec allows WPS developers to take existing WPS/SAS code and by inserting a few statements, allow your programs to access all the cores  and resources on your Windows hardware platform. MPExec allows you to parallel process up to 255 tasks and manages the collection of log and listing  files for you.

Other 3rd party applications are-

http://www.uniqcus.com/english/products.html

UniQZConnect

UniQZConnect will allow your SAS and WPS users to have a SAS or WPS session on a Windows Workstation to connect directly to SAS or WPS on z/OS. This give the user the ability to download and upload data from and to z/OS, but also to submit SAS jobs for remote execution.

The product support Wizard user dialog, full script interface, and a mixture of theese.

The Performance of the product is only limited by your current mainframe bottle necks and the current transfer limits of your FTP connection. The Security is handled through FTP ensuring that you are in compliance with your current security policies.

You can download a product sheet for UniQZConnect here.

and an upcoming application from Wolfgang at http://www.wcmat.com/cmat/

Things ToDo
CMAT was first written for Unix and later for Windows. We are now working on a 32 bit version for Linux and Unix, and after that on a 64 bit version for Windows, Linux, and Unix. We are also working on an interface to WPS and R.

—–

Overall creating applications or extensions can help WPS reach a wider audience. While Rapid Miner also has an marketplace for extensions and JMP also has extensions, one critical feature in statistical computing development is where coders can finally earn some money by creating algorithms, packages and extensions (atleast to compare with game creators on mobiles!!)