[R] processing of Fest in spatstat

[Suzanne E. Blatt]

Hello,

I'm using spatstat and generating G and K function curves, plotting the theoretical lines, etc. etc.  I run multiple programs as batch files and can happily work 'up front' while R number crunches 'in back', until ...

I ask it to generate the F curve with Fest.  When I invoke the 'F word' suddenly my happy coexistence with R, and even Linux, is over.  'Slow' does not do justice to the agony of my waiting for almost a minute (I timed it!) for a click to be responded to, or for a window to become functional.  Further, my panel can mysteriously disappear (with no recovery, it's KDE) and my screen saver does not work. Trying to use ANY other program is futile. 

I'm running spatstat 1.3-1 with R 1.6.1 on SUSE 8.0.  If anyone can explain why Fest results in my computer becoming a large paperweight until it is finished with the batch or file or segment containing 'Fest' it is running (and it won't even indicate that it is done without my 'requesting' it to update the screen), I'd really like to know.  My hubby, who introduced me to R, is fascinated with how often I can make Linux crash, even though our installations are the same and we use the same programs for data analysis and paper writing.

Thanks,
Suzanne