[R] Applicability of "Programming with Data" Text

[John Chambers]

Randall Skelton wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> Before I consider purchasing it, can someone comment on the general
> applicability of John Chambers' book titled "Programming with Data" for R
> programming.  I am currently using R-1.3.1 with the Omega SLanguage and
> RSMethod packages.
> 
> Many thanks,
> Randall
> 
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A couple of clarifications, since you mention RSMethods.

1.  The methods package has been moved from Omegahat into the
development version (not the standard version) of R, as package
"methods".  You currently get it when downloading the development
version of R, and the SLanguage package isn't needed to run it.

The RSMethods package is still there, but you're better off using
r-devel if you can, since that is the up-to-date version.  Omegahat will
likely get back in the picture later on, as we move ahead to new ideas
for both R and S-Plus, beyond what's in "Programming with Data".

2.  Discussion of the new methods package is on the r-devel list, since
it's not part of standard R.  Postings should go there, not to r-help. 
(Look for a posting on the latest changes, in the next few days.)

So then, Programming with Data.  We've been using it as the API for the
methods package. The description in the book is the target, as far as
reasonable, for what users of the R package should see.  (It's also true
that some of the other new things in Programming with Data are reflected
in r-devel).  My (perhaps biased?) recommendation is that it would be
good to use if you want to work with the methods package.

The book is definitely _not_ a description of R 1.3; it describes a
version of S written at Bell Labs and forming the basis for the current
version of S-Plus.  As general guides to R, the books by Venables and
Ripley, and other introductions, would be better.

Regards,
 John Chambers
-- 
John M. Chambers                  jmc at bell-labs.com
Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies    office: (908)582-2681
700 Mountain Avenue, Room 2C-282  fax:    (908)582-3340
Murray Hill, NJ  07974            web: http://www.cs.bell-labs.com/~jmc
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