[Rd] Feature request: Change default library path on Windows

[Duncan Murdoch]

On 25/07/2021 9:54 a.m., Steve Haroz wrote:
>> Shouldn't it be in one of the AppData directories?
> 
> I asked that same question on twitter. Here was a response
> (https://twitter.com/bmwiernik/status/1419033079495147522):
> * But it's not for files that should be user-accessible, like a
> library (cf. Zotero has preferences in AppData , but library files in
> %USERPROFILE%/Zotero)
> * So, for example, in R's case it could make sense for the core
> packages to be installed in %APPDATA%/R/R-4.1.0/library" rather than
> "C:/Program Files/R/R-4.1.0/library" (either is fairly common), but
> user packages should be somewhere more accessible.
> 
> Here is a quote from
> https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/design/app-settings/store-and-retrieve-app-data:
> "App data is mutable data that is created and managed by a specific
> app. It includes runtime state, app settings, user preferences,
> reference content (such as the dictionary definitions in a dictionary
> app), and other settings"
> I don't think libraries fall into the categories of state or settings.

I saw that link, and like you and Gabe, found it somewhat ambiguous.

I don't know bmwiernik, but from the sound of it, he doesn't speak for 
Microsoft.

So I would say that I still believe Microsoft doesn't give clear 
guidance for this.  Yes, %USERPROFILE%/R has some non-Microsoft 
precedents, but that's irrelevant.  This is an issue to take up with MS, 
not with R.  Let them describe *clearly* what they want, and R will 
(eventually) do it (but probably not before they've changed their clear 
guidance).

Duncan Murdoch

P.S. I am a former member of R Core who did Windows support.  I now 
detest that OS.  I suspect nobody who is still on R Core doesn't detest it.