[R] A comment about R:

[Uwe Ligges]

François Pinard wrote:

> [Uwe Ligges]
> 
>>François Pinard wrote:
>>
>>>[David Forrest]
> 
> 
>>>>[...] A few end-to-end tutorials on some interesting analyses would
>>>>be helpful.
> 
> 
>>>I'm in the process of learning R.  While tutorials are undoubtedly
>>>very useful, and understanding that working and studying methods vary
>>>between individuals, what I (for one) would like to have is a fairly
>>>complete reference manual to the library [...] organised by topics.
> 
> 
>>Have a look at  help.start() --> Search Engine & Keywords --> Section 
>>"Keywords by Topic".
> 
> 
> Yes, thanks.  This is quite in the spirit, or direction, of what I was 
> proposing.  Is that resource exhaustive?  (I'm asking out of laziness, 
> as it might take me several months to really check.)

It is exhaustive in the following sense:
- the help page has the appropriate keyword
- the package is installed


> One serious drawback (for me) is that it requires an heavy weight
> browser to be used, with Javascript enabled.  I do not find this very
> practical.  Another point is that the presentation, while useful, is a
> rather dry.  In another message, I suggested the "Emacs Lisp Reference 
> Manual" as a good example of a fluid presentation of a voluminous 
> library.  There might be some workable compromise between the current 
> situation with R, even through the "Keywords by Topic", and that 
> fluidity.  (Wikis also have the drawback of requiring heavy machinery,
> and the editor they force us into if usually unbearable.)
> 
> I may be back with this subject, but only in a good while.  I'm slowly 
> building a kind of documentation plan I want (yet in French), as I learn 
> R, and guess I may complete my base learning in one or two years from 
> now (hoping I'll stay courageous enough).  If I then get something 
> usable or shareable enough, I'll offer it -- because I like returning 
> a little something for the nice tools given to me!  :-)


So we are looking forward to see the better system.

Uwe Ligges


>                                 In any case, thanks for listening!
>