[R] insufficient backgrounds in linear algebra - was Simple question about formulae in R!?

[S Ellison]

> This whole discussion, of course, raises the (OT!) issue
>of the widespread misuse of linear modeling by those with insufficient
>background in linear algebra to understand the points S. Ellison
> discusses. 
... but does not necessarily claim to comprehend. There's still Peter Dalgaard's 'orthogonal in the row basis of the model matrix' out there to remind me that there's more to understand about linear modelling than the fact that fitting more parameters than you have group means is a Bad Thing. 

>I won't go there other than to say I have no clue what to
>do about it (and I encounter it in my own practice!).
Me, I comfort myself with Richard Feynman's remark to the effect that "I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics.' and keep reading R help, where there seem to be people who do - or at least, the statistical equivalent thereof. And then I refer others to their nearest competent statistician. 

My biggest problem is probably that other chemists expect me to be one ... ;-)

Steve Ellison

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