[Rd] Request: better default R_LIBS_USER

[Dirk Eddelbuettel]

On 16 March 2023 at 17:15, Henrik Bengtsson wrote:
| We're all starting out with a fresh R_LIBS_USER once a year when a new
| minor version of R is released,

Maybe not "we all". I don't, and I know other Linux users who don't force a
rebuild unless needed (as with R 3.6.* -> R 4.0.0).

R signals clearly when a rebuild is needed at a major version change, and we
had this (if I recall correctly) about twice in the six or so years.  I carry
my directories over with ease from most (major) release to the next: By doing
nothing as my .libPaths has no version number in.

[ In fairness the last few upgrades were semi-dirtied because package needing
a graphics device needed a rebuild as the tireless Paul Murrell extends
capabilities and hence API interfaces. But that affects usually half a dozen
out of maybe hundreds of installed packages. ]

[ But your post was helpful in adding how to define a version, or arch, or
... handle for which `help(".Library")` has all the relevant details. ]

Dirk

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