[R] R in the NY Times

[Doran, Harold]

The open-source mentality is invaluable, as most on this list know. That
is what keeps the R evolution progressing at a pace that SAS cannot keep
up with. 

On a side note (a very side note), I am a zealot for an exercise program
called Crossfit. Crossfit has adopted the same open-source mentality as
found in the Linux model and has grown into the most valuable fitness
and strength training program on the planet. There is an online journal
(called crossfit journal)
http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CrossFitJournal-Budding_Retrospecti
ve.pdf that lists the three components of the linux open-source model:

The Linux development model:
* Release early and often
* Delegate everything you can
* Be open to the point of promiscuity

Crossfit then followed with its own open-source principles:

The CrossFit development model:
* Release early and often
- Daily!
* Delegate everything you can
- Meet the experts from the realms of climbing, lifting, swimming,
gymnastics, fighting, you name it.
* Be open to the point of promiscuity
- Read the WOD weblog comments.
- Check out the discussion board.
- See photos of athletes puking!

The point being, it is not the program itself that is amazing, but the
people that have made serious contributions to it that make it so. In
the same vein, R is only a representation of the many, many valuable
talented people who are constantly adding to its functionality because
of its open-source nature. That is, R itself is good, useful etc. But,
it is the people that add to it and help it grow as a scientific tool
that keep it as the lingua franca.







> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-help-bounces at r-project.org 
> [mailto:r-help-bounces at r-project.org] On Behalf Of Max Kuhn
> Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 10:17 AM
> To: r-help at r-project.org
> Subject: Re: [R] R in the NY Times
> 
> More commentary on Slashdot:
> 
>  http://developers.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/01/07/2316227
> 
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