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

[Avraham Adler]

On Sun, Jul 25, 2021 at 5:56 PM Duncan Murdoch <murdoch.duncan using gmail.com>
wrote:

> 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.



I remember well and greatly appreciate your work, Dr. Murdoch. As someone
whose R work must be almost exclusively on Windows due to the nature of my
employment, I want to once again show appreciation to the members of R Core
and others, specifically Drs. Liggs and Tierney, and Jeroen Oomes, Dirk
Eddelbuttel, and the many others who continue to support R for Windows.

Avi

> --
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