[R-sig-Debian] R installation problems on Linux Mint 18.1 via jessie-cran3

[Clive Nicholas]

Thank you so much Johannes.

Problem now sorted:

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys E084DAB9
sudo add-apt-repository deb https://cran.ma.imperial.ac.uk/bin/linux/ubuntu
xenial/ # replaced the old repository link
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install r-base r-base-core r-base-dev

With my .Renviron file already fixed from previously with the correct paths
inserted, my R 3.4.0 is now up and running with LaTeX run successfully.
I've also taken care to delete your Debian R key from my machine, retaining
the Ubuntu one.

I rather think it would be a good idea to publicise this solution for Linux
Mint 18.1 users *as widely as possible* so that they don't run into the
same unnecessary difficulties I just did: it would not be immediately
obvious to all such users (it wasn't to me) that they should instead be
downloading and installing from the Ubuntu and not the Debian repository.
(Indeed, I had used the Debian repository successfully on my previous
install of Linux Mint.) *It certainly shouldn't be buried in a thread on a
mailing list!*

May I also extend my grateful thanks to Professor J C Nash for his help.

Yours with thanks,
Clive Nicholas

On 27 April 2017 at 23:20, Johannes Ranke <johannes.ranke at jrwb.de> wrote:

> Am Donnerstag, 27. April 2017, 15:05:32 schrieb J C Nash:
> > Is there a reason for jessie-cran3 rather than xenial? For Linux Mint 18
> > (admittedly not 18.1) I have
> >
> > deb https://cloud.r-project.org/bin/linux/ubuntu xenial/
> >
> > as one of the apt entries.
> >
> > JN
>
> Seconded. You should not expect that mixing apt entries for Ubuntu and
> Debian
> will work.
>
> > > It didn't work and I simply get the same SHA1 weak algorithm error when
> > > running -sudo apt-get update- or -sudo apt update-.
>
> jessie-cran3 is made for Debian jessie which uses a somewhat dated version
> of
> apt, which does not complain about weak SHA1 checksums.
>
> > > (Why is this issue not
> > > mentioned at all here <https://cran.r-project.org/> and why have users
> > > like
> > > me had to go ferreting for it, amongst other things?)
>
> Because Michael Rutter (for the Ubuntu backports) and myself (for the
> Debian
> backports) try our best to make things just work for the distributions for
> which these backports are advertised. The user should generally not have to
> worry about the checksum algorithms used by his distribution.
>
> Mint 18.1 is based on Ubuntu 16.04 AKA Xenial Xerus. So it seems to me you
> should use an apt entry (and only *one* for the CRAN R packages) for
> xenial as
> John recommended.
>
> Kind regards, I sort of feel with you, as I sometimes also get frustrated.
> But
> usually the satisfaction to work with free software prevails!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Johannes
>
> > >
> > > I've been a Linux user for six years and pride myself on researching as
> > > many possible forums when trying to fix stuff before asking for any
> help,
> > > have never had to confront this nonsense and I'm really fed up with
> this
> > > now; I very strongly object to what have been hitherto (reasonably)
> > > straightforward R download and installation procedures making a total
> > > idiot
> > > of me when I try my damnednest to follow all the steps to do it all
> > > correctly in much the same way as I have done before without too many
> > > issues.
> > >
> > > Please advise at your very earliest convenience and help me sort this
> out.
> > > Thank you.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > R-SIG-Debian mailing list
> > R-SIG-Debian at r-project.org
> > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-debian
>



-- 
Clive Nicholas

"My colleagues in the social sciences talk a great deal about methodology.
I prefer to call it style." -- Freeman J. Dyson

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