[R-SIG-Mac] Incorrect CRAN packages URL?

[Oscar Moreno]

System:    PowerMac G5
Processor: PowerPC 970 (2.2)
Speed:     1.8GHz
Memory:    1.5GB
OS:        10.5.5

R:         2.8.0 (recently reinstalled from 10/22/2008 binaries)

Package installer can install one package at a time ONLY.  In R2.7.2,  
the installer could install any number of packages at a time.
Package installer, after installing a package, fails to update the  
table of packages installed.  I need to quit R and re-start to get the  
updates.  What's going on?
TIA