[R] optimal windows R machine

[Mark Myatt]

Bob Porter <rjporter at mindspring.com> writes:

>I have the happy task of purchasing a new windows desktop PC.  I have a
>limited but not unreasonable budget and access to discounts and so forth.
> What would be folks' suggestions of priorities and requirements be if I
>will
> use the machine for a lot of C and R based data analysis with large files,
> computationally intensive, a lot of graphic display but not 3D animation.
>I
>am proposing 1GB AMD processor,  1 GB RAM, 40GB drive, hi-speed CDRW, 64MEG
>video, Win  XP home edition.  Thoughts?  I will upgrade software also:
>Suggestions of C compiler package? Other "must have" packages compatible
>with R?

With the processor and memory thing should fly along. The video is a bit
over specified as most 64MB cards will be optimised for 3D graphics at
high colour depths. It will work OK but you might be better off going
for a cheaper graphics card and spending the savings on a better quality
monitor / keyboard / mouse. I have no experience with Windows XP. I
would consider one of the Linux distributions with a small and light
windows manager as I imagine XP will be quite an overhead.

Mark


--
Mark Myatt


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