[R] GUI's for teaching

[Ko-Kang Kevin Wang]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Agustin Lobo" <alobo at paleo.ija.csic.es>
Cc: "R Help" <r-help at stat.math.ethz.ch>
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 8:09 PM
Subject: Re: [R] GUI's for teaching


> Personally, where I miss a menu-based application is for
> interactive graphics. For example, after ploting
> two vectors with an R function, it would be nice
> to change the scale, colors etc.  , but perhaps it makes
> more sense to use or link to an specific application
> for this purpose (i.e. like with xgobi).

I agree.  Interactive graphics would be nice.

> For some users that I know, the real problem
> with R is that it's very hard to carry out
> an analysis if you do not understand it. But,
> is this a disadvantage? Not at all, in particular
> for teaching.

Very true.  Actually I particularly do not like the idea of having the
ability to click buttons to do analyses - like the Excel way!  I think it is
dangerous as for people who have little or no idea for statistics, may click
on a button that does a particular technique where the technique is totally
inappropriate and wrong for the situation.

At least in command line one have to "think" (hopefully!) which technique
suits the situation best, then find out the commands, then do the analysis.

Cheers,

Ko-Kang

------------------------------------------------
Ko-Kang Kevin Wang
Post Graduate PGDipSci Student
Department of Statistics
University of Auckland
New Zealand
www.stat.auckand.ac.nz/~kwan022



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