R-beta: Hmisc and R

[Bill Venables]

>>>>> "Herve" == herve dreau <dreau at hbroussais.fr> writes:

    Herve> Hello, I want to try the Design and Hmisc library from
    Herve> FE Harrell but, i have trouble with the copyright for
    Herve> the library Hmisc :

    Herve> in the home of the author :=20

    Herve> http://fharrell.biostat.virginia.edu/s/unix/

    Herve> in the file Hmisc.README=20

    Herve> ###COPYRIGHT NOTICE

    Herve> ###You may not port code in the Hmisc library to R.
    Herve> Aie, Why ????  

I have no idea why, but I suggest that if the author has placed
that restriction on the code in his official web page it should
be respected, irrespective of what more lenient restrictions may
appear on other, older versions elsewhere, such as in statlib.

Moreover I have to say that, while there is a lot of clever and
interesting stuff in the Hmisc and Design libraries, I think R
is, on balance, better off without them.  They re-define so many
fundamental method functions in S that it almost becomes like
dealing with another system.  My personal view is that it is a
better policy to work with the base system as the designers
intended, flaws and all, rather than to change the fundamentals,
after which the objects you create and and code you write only
work in this altered environment.

I hasten to add that this is merely a difference of opinion
between Frank and me.  I grearly admire the work Frank has done
for the S community and I applaud his generosity in making it so
freely available.  We currently are, and I sincerely hope we
remain on friendly terms.

Bill Venables.
-- 
_________________________________________________________________
Bill Venables, Head, Dep't of Statistics,     Tel.: +61 8303 5418
The University of Adelaide,                   Fax.: +61 8303 3696
South AUSTRALIA.     5005.   Email: Bill.Venables at adelaide.edu.au
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