[R] update.packages() and install.packages() does not work more because of "Error in read.dcf"

[R P Herrold]

On Tue, 30 Mar 2010, Prof Brian Ripley wrote:

> A hint: I have seen this exact error message with a build configured to use 
> the system's zlib 1.2.4 (which has been out for about 2 weeks), and this 
> incompatibility is noted in the current R 2.11.0 alpha's manuals.
>
> We do recommend *not* using the system zlib, but if you do insist on doing so 
> do be aware that R may not work with future versions of external software.

In the short term, and for a person willing to chase new 
versions that is fine -- but part of using system (shared) 
libraries is that unknowable unknowns such as latent security 
issues not yet known in the 'bundles with R' library are 
patched away when a (here for the sake of example) new 
replacement zlib with a fix, is slotted in.  Additionally the 
benefit of a smaller memory footprint when shared libraries 
are used is lost.

The true fault causing the noted message seems to be that 
there is a faulty compression/decompression occuring in a 
carried library -- would't it be better to not bundle a frozen 
library, and to rather simply 'flag' packages needed a rebuild 
so that fault is cured?

I am curious here

-- Russ herrold