[R] R versus SAS

[Duncan Murdoch]

On 12-08-07 10:46 PM, Kjetil Halvorsen wrote:
> I found this on CrossValidated:
>
> "A medical statistician once told me, that they use SAS because if
> they make mistakes due to software bugs and it comes to lawsuits, SAS
> will recompensate them. R comes without warranty."
>

I suspect that statistician has never tried to collect.  The statement 
on the SAS website refers to the website, not the software, but it has a 
statement that is pretty typical of commercial software licenses:

  Warranties and Disclaimers

EXCEPT WHERE EXPRESSLY PROVIDED OTHERWISE IN AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU 
AND SAS, ALL INFORMATION, SOFTWARE, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED 
"AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF 
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

IN NO EVENT SHALL SAS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, 
SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, 
REVENUE, DATA OR USE, INCURRED BY YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY, WHETHER IN AN 
ACTION IN CONTRACT OR TORT, ARISING FROM YOUR ACCESS TO, OR USE OF, THIS 
Web SITE OR ANY OTHER HYPERLINKED Web SITE.


I would quote from the actual software license, but it doesn't appear to 
be online.  The R license is online, and gives you just as strong a 
warranty (i.e. none!) plus quite a few more rights than the typical 
commercial software license.

Duncan Murdoch