[R] Should there be an R-beginners list?

[Rich Shepard]

On Sun, 24 Nov 2013, Bert Gunter wrote:

> Would it be useful, then, to establish an R-beginners list specifically to
> absorb this traffic and free up R-help from what I would say was its
> original intent, to provide a forum for serious, more dedicated R users
> (Again, no criticism is intended here)?

Bert,

   I support the idea. There are a number of specialized sub-lists
(e.g., ecological, mixed effects, spatial) so there's every reason to have a
new SIG: new users.

> I realize that, whether or not this suggestion is worthwhile, there are
> several ways it could fail. First, too few might be interested in
> responding to posts on the new list. Second, too few might consider
> themselves "beginners" who post to it. Etc. So I would certainly say any
> such effort ought to be a pilot and tentative .

   From what I see on the main mail list (where a lot of beginner questions
could be answered by the available docs or the many dead tree books that
I've read and use a references) folks will be willing to self-identify as
belonging to this category and get the tutoring they need without being put
down or feeling uncomfortable.

   You're correct that not every user spends his or her working life using R;
many of us use multiple technical tools as needed by each project. At some
point we were all newcomers to R, and each of us has a different ability to
self-learn.

Rich

-- 
Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D.          |      Have knowledge, will travel.
Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc.   |
<http://www.appl-ecosys.com>     Voice: 503-667-4517      Fax: 503-667-8863