Data Mining For Dummies

Appendix B

Data-Mining Software Sources

A data miner is a businessperson who has a feel for numbers, not a programmer, database manager, or statistician. Data mining enables businesspeople to rapidly discover useful patterns in data, build models, and put them into action in everyday business. To do data mining, you need tools to fit the job, tools designed for users like you.

This is not to say that data miners who also happen to be familiar with programming or statistics should not take advantage of those skills. But data-mining tools should be designed primarily for business users.

The examples in this book include images of some data-mining tools. Software used for these examples was selected based on two requirements. It had to have a visual programming interface, to help you become familiar with this key element of the data-mining process, and a free version available, so that you can try out what you see in this book, even if you have no money to spend on software.

Moving Forward

When you take on real projects in your workplace, you’ll have your own needs and priorities. Technical support will be a necessity. Specific capabilities for data import or analysis methods may be important to you. Your employer may have requirements for software purchasing that affect your choices. You’ll need options beyond the few used in the examples used in this book.

Even if you have no immediate need and no money to spend, it’s a good idea to start getting familiar with what’s available, ...