[R] save-d file format forward compatibility

[Godfrey van der Linden]

G'day, All.

I've recently started writing up my dissertation and need to consider how to store the research results. I'd like to use the binary compressed save() format as it is considerably smaller than the raw data.  However, will a future R be able to read it into the indefinite future or would I be better off just compressing the text data files? The doc says:

>      All R platforms use the XDR (bigendian) representation of C ints
>      and doubles in binary save-d files, and these are portable across
>      all R platforms. (ASCII saves used to be useful for moving data
>      between platforms but are now mainly of historical interest.)

The format is well known and platform agnostic, both excellent properties, but will I be able to read the data into a more modern version of R into the foreseeable future?

Thanks

Godfrey