[R] citation() command doesn't work in R.3.1.1

[Martin Maechler]

>>>>> Igor Sosa Mayor <joseleopoldo1792 at gmail.com>
>>>>>     on Wed, 6 Aug 2014 18:13:56 +0200 writes:

    > Sverre Stausland <stausland.johnsen at iln.uio.no> writes:
    >>> citation()
    >> Error: $ operator is invalid for atomic vectors In
    >> addition: Warning message: In packageDescription(pkg =
    >> package, lib.loc = dirname(dir)) : no package 'base' was
    >> found

    > strange... I think something is wrong with the
    > compilation, since as far as I know, the package `base'
    > should be loaded automatically by starting R...

Even more: 
R cannot be working at all without the base package. It's not a
package you can be without, ever.
So indeed, the error message maybe a teeny tiny tad misleading.
But to reiterate: It's only the broken state of your R,
not at all R 3.1.1  with this problem.

Please do note that we have tens of thousands of tests that must
have run without fault before R is released.  Calling citation()
and >= 99% of all other base R functions is among these quality
assurance tests of an R release.

Martin Maechler (R core team)