[R] Protocol for answering basic questions

[Patrick Gamble]

Possessing neither a PhD, nor being near a Masters in Statistics 
(with distinction no less), I was surprised that it is possible to
reach these august heights without mastering at least one statistical
programming language sufficiently well not to need to resort
regularly to help services. 

Is this a sign of the times? I'm told that candidates are not as well 
prepared as they used to be.