[Rd] binary R packages for GNU/Linux

[Tobias Verbeke]

L.S.

AFAICS the Writing R Extensions and R Installation and Administration manuals do not explicitly discuss binary R packages on GNU/Linux. Only installation from source is mentioned (https://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/R-admin.html#Installing-packages-1)
and when discussing repository layouts (https://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/R-admin.html#Setting-up-a-package-repository) no mention is made of conventions for GNU/Linux distributions.

The proprietary Package Manager (PPM) from Posit (https://packagemanager.posit.co/client/#/) does offer binary packages for GNU/Linux, but the usage of this service is restricted in ways that go against the principles of open source (https://posit.co/about/posit-service-terms-of-use/). By way of example, mirroring is not allowed and certain categories of users are excluded (age categories, competitors, ...). This is maybe expected to some, but this clearly does not offer a proper foundation for the distribution of open source R packages.

For this reason I am wondering whether the R project / CRAN would not be better placed and/or open to support distribution of binary R packages on GNU/Linux.

A second, orthogonal question is whether the R project can advance an official convention for the repository layout related to the distribution of binary GNU/Linux packages. Our proposal would be to use something along

http://mydomain.com/bin/linux/jammy/x86_64/contrib/4.4

which IMHO is more elegant than

http://mydomain.com/bin/linux/jammy-x86_64/contrib/4.4

(and which mimicks the documented MacOS convention

http://mydomain.com/bin/macosx/big-sur-x86_64/contrib/4.4).

Anyone?

Obviously willing to work out details and collaborate on the topic.

Kind regards,
Tobias