[R] Linux, UNIX, XP32, Vista X64 or ...? [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

[Patrick Burns]

Perhaps there are other opinions, but from my point
of view R is spectacularly similar in Linux and Windows
(and will be virtually identical in Linux and Unix).  As
long as you are doing "R" things, you should be in home
territory.

I regularly transfer R objects between 64-bit Linux and
Windows, and have never had any problems.

Patrick Burns
patrick at burns-stat.com
+44 (0)20 8525 0696
http://www.burns-stat.com
(home of S Poetry and "A Guide for the Unwilling S User")

Jin.Li at ga.gov.au wrote:

>Hi Peter,
>Thank you for the quick answer. 
>Given that we have UNIX system available here in Geoscience Australia, I am
>wondering if UNIX is also faster and with 64 bit build. Perhaps they may be
>kind enough to let me have a Linux system.
>As I only have experience in using Windows PC, what kind of challenges are
>there for using R in other systems like UNIX and Linux? 
>Thanks again,
>Jin
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Peter Dalgaard [mailto:p.dalgaard at biostat.ku.dk] 
>Sent: Thursday, 24 January 2008 10:23
>To: Li Jin
>Cc: r-help at r-project.org
>Subject: Re: [R] Linux, UNIX, XP32, Vista X64 or ...? [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
>
>Jin.Li at ga.gov.au wrote:
>  
>
>>Dear All,
>>I am currently using R in Windows PC with a 2 GB of RAM. Some pretty large
>>datasets are expected soon, perhaps in an order of several GB. I am facing
>>    
>>
>a
>  
>
>>similar situation like Ralph, either to get a new PC with a bigger RAM or
>>else. I am just wondering if R is getting faster in other systems like UNIX
>>or Linux. Any suggestions are appreciated.
>>Regards,
>>Jin
>>  
>>    
>>
>It has always been faster in Linux than in Windows on the same hardware. 
>In addition, the toolchain issues have been holding up 64 bit 
>development  on 64 bit Windows, whereas  64 bit build has been working 
>on Linux for years.
>
>  
>
>>--------------------------------------------
>>Jin Li, PhD
>>Spatial Modeller/
>>Computational Statistician
>>Marine & Coastal Environment
>>Geoscience Australia
>>Ph: 61 (02) 6249 9899
>>Fax: 61 (02) 6249 9956
>>email: jin.li at ga.gov.au
>>--------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: r-help-bounces at r-project.org [mailto:r-help-bounces at r-project.org] On
>>Behalf Of Prof Brian Ripley
>>Sent: Thursday, 24 January 2008 12:05
>>To: Ralph79
>>Cc: r-help at r-project.org
>>Subject: Re: [R] Problems with XP32-"3GB-patch"?/ Worth upgrading to Vista
>>X64?
>>
>>On Wed, 23 Jan 2008, Ralph79 wrote:
>>
>>  
>>    
>>
>>>Dear R-Users,
>>>
>>>as I will start a huge simulation in a few weeks, I am about to buy a new
>>>and fast PC. I have noticed, that the RAM has been the limiting factor in
>>>many of my calculations up to now (I had 2 GB in my "old" system, but
>>>Windows still used quite a lot of virtual memory), hence my new computer
>>>will have 4 GB of fast DDR2-800 RAM.
>>>
>>>However, I know that 1.) Windows 32 bit cannot make use of more than about
>>>3,2 GB RAM and 2.) it is normally not allowed to allocate more than 2 GB
>>>      
>>>
>of
>  
>
>>>RAM to one single application (at least under XP, I don't know if that has
>>>changed under Vista?).
>>>
>>>I remember from the R-FAQ that you can manually adjust XP so that it
>>>allocates up to 3 GB to one application ("the 3GB patch"), but I read in a
>>>PC-magazine and some message boards that this may cause problems. Does
>>>anybody of you successfully use this "trick" without any problems?
>>>    
>>>      
>>>
>>Yes, many people: most 32-bit Exchange servers use it.  Please don't rate
>>the advice in the R documentation below tittle-tattle you read on the web.
>>
>>  
>>    
>>
>>>Would it be wise to use a 64bit OS, as e.g. Vista X64? I think, under
>>>      
>>>
>Vista
>  
>
>>>X64 it should be no problem to allocate 4 GB of RAM to R. Any experiences
>>>with that?
>>>    
>>>      
>>>
>>That's what the rw-FAQ says, and we do write answers based on experience!
>>
>>  
>>    
>>
>>>Thanks in advance,
>>>Ralph Wirth
>>>
>>>
>>>-----
>>>Ralph Wirth
>>>University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Statistics
>>>GfK Group, Department of Methods and Product Development
>>>
>>>
>>>    
>>>      
>>>
>>  
>>    
>>
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>  
>