Roger, it takes a while to wrap your brain around this stuff, but imagine that your boss asked you to create a summary file of orders for a new widget. The specifications that he/she provides are the metadata. A good number of the new fangled software that SAS provides deals with metadata and NOT the data itself.
A simple example of metadata is the specs your boss might provide for a summary file of orders for widgets. At the time the boss hands the specs to you, the new file does not exist, but the DESCRIPTION does and SAS tools can manipulate (and provide useful output!) using this data. Hope this helps.
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