[R] two questions for R beginners

[Ivan Calandra]

Hi again Paul,

> Hi Ivan (and list),
>
> I think the main problem is not as much that there isn't structure in 
> the way R provides documentation / tutorials, but that people have a 
> hard time finding the structure. There are task views for certain 
> specific fields, but I think a lot of beginners do not know that they 
> exist. 

You're definitely right... what is it?! where to find them?

> So I think a "O my God, I've downloaded R and what now" tutorial might 
> be a good idea to put very close to the download button of R on CRAN. 
> This tutorial would focus not on how to do things in R, but would 
> provide guidance to the most obvious sources of information such as 
> Task views, specific mailing lists, ways to search list archives, 
> information for beginners how to write a good e-mail etc. I think for 
> a lot of beginners it is not as much the answer to a specific question 
> that they need, but more guidance how to look for answers themselves.

I think that would indeed help a lot. I can only agree with your last 
sentence. Is someone already working on this kind of manual? Is it 
planed? etc?

> cheers,
> Paul
Regards,
Ivan