R-beta: Hmisc and R

[Peter Malewski]

> I realize that some of the functions will port correctly,
> but I don't want to be in the position of answering questions
> from R users when I don't use R myself.  That's why I'm
> declining to allow any of the functions to be used in R.
> 
> -Frank

I understand why F. Harrell decided this way & I respect this. But
there is a serious
problem with it : when most people who contribute s-code don't allow a
porting to R, R would lose much. I know that S-Plus is in many aspects
more developed than R but R has at least two advantages about S:

(1) It is GNU software. The Gnu concept implies the advantage that the
source is open to suggestions. That makes Linux, Emacs etc. so usefull,
stable ... & successful. Many user can comment/help at the stage of
developing/testing. 

(2) R is free software. I work in social science, that often
means: difficult methological questions and no money. Because of
this fact I think the future for R is not as bad. 

Well, F. Harrell don't want a discussion on this topic in any
mailing-list. But  there can be a generall discussion on
porting software.
Perhaps Harrell libraries arn't good examples for such a  discussion,
because the main changes in that libraries (beside the fact, that several
stat. concepts are implemented) is that S-plus concepts are changed, for
example the storing the data in objects created by stat. procedures. 

Perhaps it's useful to remain the authorship of Splus-software by the
orignal author and to move the resonsiblity to the one who ported the
code to R.

P.Malewski

Btw: if the use of source is resticted, i think it isn't gnu software any
more. 



***************************************************************************
P.Malewski
Maschplatz 8
38114 Braunschweig
Email: P.Malewski at tu-bs.de
**************************************************************************   




-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
r-help mailing list -- Read http://www.ci.tuwien.ac.at/~hornik/R/R-FAQ.html
Send "info", "help", or "[un]subscribe"
(in the "body", not the subject !)  To: r-help-request at stat.math.ethz.ch
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._