[R-pkg-devel] Changing a package's name

[Uwe Ligges]

On 13.06.2017 15:40, Duncan Murdoch wrote:
> On 13/06/2017 7:29 AM, Michael Dewey wrote:
>> Dear David
>>
>> It is your package and you can choose the name you prefer. If you feel
>> uncomfortable with the current one then change it. I do not think anyone
>> else's opinion is relevant unless a package author picks a name that all
>> right thinking people would find offensive.
> 
> However, CRAN's opinion is relevant if you want them to distribute it 
> for you.  Name changes cause extra work for them so please don't do it 
> unnecessarily, and if you do think it's necessary, explain your 
> reasoning to them when you submit.

OK, it appears I have to say a word:

Thanks to all for contributing to this thread so far.
Indeed, Duncan is right, and not only the work required to get it done 
is relevant, also the effort for users to recognize the name change and 
the fact that the old name is reserved for the CRAN namespace and nobody 
else can submit another package under such a name is an issue to be 
considered.

So for the archives, as Duncan says: You have to have a very good reason 
to justify publication of an updated package under a new name.

Best,
Uwe Ligges




> Duncan Murdoch
> 
>>
>> On 11/06/2017 14:51, David Hugh-Jones wrote:
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> A short while ago I released the "huxtable" package for writing HTML and
>>> LaTeX tables:
>>> https://www.github.com/hughjonesd/huxtable
>>>
>>> The name seemed cute to me, but I later found out that to Americans 
>>> it has
>>> special associations. The Huxtables were the family in the Cosby 
>>> show. That
>>> would be fine, except that Bill Cosby is now on trial for one case of 
>>> rape,
>>> and there are accusations of many other cases.
>>>
>>> So, two questions:
>>>
>>> * Do you think I should change the name?
>>>
>>> Comments welcome from Americans and others on this difficult cultural 
>>> issue.
>>>
>>> * If I do, what's the best and least disruptive way to do it? Bear in 
>>> mind
>>> that I have a couple of thousand users.
>>>
>>> My first thought would be to release an update which gives a warning 
>>> about
>>> the future change when the package is loaded; then release a package 
>>> with
>>> the new name and continue development on this branch.
>>>
>>> David
>>>
>>>     [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
>>>
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>>>
>>
> 
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