[R] installing R on Ubuntu

[Tom Backer Johnsen]

Dirk Eddelbuettel wrote:
> On 8 February 2009 at 20:36, Tom Backer Johnsen wrote:
> | Dear me.  Is the installation of R under Ubuntu really that complex?  I 
> | have a dual boot machine (Linux / Windows, where I use the latter the 
> | most) and have plans to try R under Linux, but have not done so yet.  Is 
> | it possible to simplify the Linux install procedure to make R more 
> | accessible to novices?
> 
> Yes. 'sudo apt-get install r-base ess ggobi' and you have working R, ESS and
> Ggobi.  Start Emacs, type 'M-x R' and you have an R session inside Emacs.
> 
> Is that really easier to accomplish in Windows?

No.  If it is that simple to install R under a Debian vaiant of Linux, 
it definitely is easier.  On the other hand, using Emacs is not (as far 
as I know) the thing for novices.  What I would prefer is something that 
is as simple to use as the Windows (or even better, the Mac interface) 
for R.

Tom
> 
> Dirk
> 
> | 
> | Compare that to Windows.  (1) Download installation program (2) Run 
> | installation program.  That is it.
> | 
> | Tom
> | 
> | Paul Heinrich Dietrich wrote:
> | > I've read some of R's literature on Linux, including the R Admin manual, and
> | > didn't find it very useful, which is probably my own limitation.  But I did
> | > finally manage to get it working well.  I'm posting this to help others. 
> | > The following worked when installing R 2.8.1 on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron. 
> | > Here are truly step-by-step instructions for those who don't know Linux
> | > (like me):
> | > 
> | > Installation and Initial Set-Up of R for Ubuntu Linux
> | > 
> | > 1. Open the Bash terminal (Applications > Accessories > Terminal)
> | > 2. Type these lines to add the security key to access the latest version of
> | > the R Ubuntu package:
> | > 	user at computer:~$ gpg --keyserver subkeys.pgp.net --recv-key E2A11821
> | > 	user at computer:~$ gpg -a --export E2A11821 | sudo apt-key add -
> | > 3. Use the Bash terminal to open your sources.list file with gedit (text
> | > editor) for editing:
> | > 	user at computer:~$ sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list
> | > 4. Add this line to the bottom of the sources.list file:
> | > 	deb http://rh-mirror.linux.iastate.edu/CRAN/bin/linux/ubuntu hardy/
> | > 5. Save the file and go back to the Bash terminal.
> | > 6. Type this to update apt-get's database before you install R:
> | > 	user at computer:~$ sudo apt-get update
> | > 7. Install R with this command:
> | > 	user at computer:~$ sudo apt-get install r-base
> | > 8. Go to System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager, and download
> | > the build-essential package.
> | > 9. To use R, simply enter R in the Bash terminal.  To quit, enter q().
> | > 
> | > 
> | > Additional programs will be needed to install other packages or work with
> | > other programs:
> | > 1. Install compilers for C++ and Fortran
> | > 	user at computer:~$ sudo apt-get install g++ gfortran
> | > 2. Install the developer versions of Blas and Lapack (what are these?)
> | > 	user at computer:~$ apt-get install libblas-dev liblapack-dev
> | > 
> | > 
> | > Updating Packages in R
> | > 1. Open the Bash terminal and start R with root permissions
> | > 	user at computer:~$ sudo R
> | > 2. Type > update.packages()
> | > 
> | > 
> | > Installing the R Commander GUI
> | > 1. Open the Bash terminal and type:
> | >        user at computer:~$ apt-get install r-cran-rcmdr 
> | > 
> | > 
> | > Using the R Commander GUI
> | > library(Rcmdr)
> | > ...or once the library is open and Commander has been shut down, type:
> | > commander()
> | > 
> | > 
> | > Notes
> | > It looks like most of R has been put here:
> | > /etc/R (Rprofile.site is here)
> | > /usr/lib/R
> | > 
> | > 
> | > Downloaded Packages seem to go here:
> | > /usr/local/lib/R/site-library/
> | 
> | 
> | -- 
> | +----------------------------------------------------------------+
> | | Tom Backer Johnsen, Psychometrics Unit,  Faculty of Psychology |
> | | University of Bergen, Christies gt. 12, N-5015 Bergen,  NORWAY |
> | | Tel : +47-5558-9185                        Fax : +47-5558-9879 |
> | | Email : backer at psych.uib.no    URL : http://www.galton.uib.no/ |
> | +----------------------------------------------------------------+
> | 
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> 


-- 
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Tom Backer Johnsen, Psychometrics Unit,  Faculty of Psychology |
| University of Bergen, Christies gt. 12, N-5015 Bergen,  NORWAY |
| Tel : +47-5558-9185                        Fax : +47-5558-9879 |
| Email : backer at psych.uib.no    URL : http://www.galton.uib.no/ |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+