[R] how to update R version

[Kevin E. Thorpe]

Yanqin Yang wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I am new in using Linux R. Would someone tell me what the best way to
> update my current R 2.3.0 to R 2.5.0? I want to keep my current
> library packages. Do I have to erase the older version and install
> the newer version? In that case, I need to re-download all the
> packages I need. Any short way to do the update?
> 
> Thanks for your help!
> 
> yanqin
> 

Since I compile from source, I simply compile the new version and
install it to the same location as the old.  Then I run
update.packages() to update the additional packages I have
installed. Of course, I may get bit by this approach one day.

It is possible to have more than one directory for packages.
One suggestion I've seen is to collect your "user installed"
packages in a different directory than the base and recommended
packages.

-- 
Kevin E. Thorpe
Biostatistician/Trialist, Knowledge Translation Program
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
email: kevin.thorpe at utoronto.ca  Tel: 416.864.5776  Fax: 416.864.6057