[R] advice/opinion on "<-" vs "=" in teaching R

Rolf Turner r.turner at auckland.ac.nz
Fri Jan 15 05:06:55 CET 2010


On 15/01/2010, at 4:45 PM, Erin Hodgess wrote:

> Hi R People:
>
> I'm teaching a statistical computing class using R starting next week
> (yay!) and I have an opinion type question, please.
>
> I'm old school and use "<-" in an assignment.
>
> However, I'm starting to see the "=" in the literature.
>
> Which should I use or does it matter, please?

It's basically a matter of taste.  But people with ***good*** taste  
use "<-". :-)

Constructions such as "a = a+3" are toadally illogical whereas "a <- a 
+3"
makes perfect sense.

However I'm sore afraid that as is always the case, good taste fails and
bad taste prevails.  I.e. "=" for assignment will take over.  Personally
I shall resist as long as possible, i.e. until "<-" is removed from the
syntax structure by R Core.

	cheers,

		Rolf

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