[R-SIG-Mac] Can't get help.start() to work.

[Rolf Turner]

On 29/10/2009, at 5:26 PM, Peter Cowan wrote:

	<snip>

> I think this has been mentioned by others, but you seem to be making
> life difficult for yourself.

	I beg to differ.  I don't think that ***I*** have done
	anything to make life difficult for myself.

> When you install R on a recent mac

	If by ``recent mac'' you mean a relatively recent version of
	Mac OS X, then this does not apply to me.  I'm still using
	what is apparently known as ``Tiger''; Mac OS X 10.4.11.

> you essentially get two versions, one for 32bit and one for 64bit.   
> These
> are not compatible w/ each other (and no amount of effort would ever
> make them so).  The installer (2.10.0 IIRC) installs in addition a GUI
> for each R.app (32bit) and R64.app (64bit).  The default when
> launching R in the terminal with Snow Leopard appears to be 64bit.

	But I'm *not* using Snow Leopard; I'm using Tiger.

> You can check this by opening the Activity Monitor application and
> looking for the R process.

	Had a look.  Can't see ***anything*** about 32 bit vs. 64 bit.
	The activity monitor just says ``R''.

> If you install or build packages using the
> default terminal version of R you *MUST* use R64.app for the packages
> to work properly.  If built 64bit they must be run 64bit.  Your error
> message say you are trying to load a package in 32bit R (probably
> R.app) that have been install/build w/ 64bit R (the terminal).  I
> recommend that you stick w/ one computer architecture (in this case
> terminal and R64.app might work well for you).

	Sorry to be a bit thick, but I don't quite follow this.
	Are you saying that the only way for me to get R for my
	machine now is to use a pre-built binary; that I ***can't***
	build from source?  This would seem to be so since:

	* you are saying that if I build from source then I *have*
	to use 64 bit R

	* but I have been told that I ***cannot*** use 64 bit R with
	Tiger.

	I guess that I can live with having to use pre-built binaries.
	Now that I know where to *get* a 32 bit binary, that's fine.
	The only reason I tried to build from source was because the
	2.10.0 binary on CRAN was 64 bit and that won't work under
	``Tiger''.

	I could also try to get my employer to upgrade me to Snow
	Leopard, but my chances .....

	Anyway ... I now have the 32 bit binary build, which I downloaded
	from the r.research.att web site, installed.  So how or in what
	way am I mixing architectures?  (I also downloaded the 2.10.0
	32 bit GUI from the r.research.att web site.  So all should be
	in harmony, should it not?)

>>        This is getting ridiculous.  Everything I try engenders
>> another error and another fiasco.  Things have become too complex and
>> intricate.  IMHO too much effort has been expended on implementing
>> gee-whiz facilities for the super-clever or GUI facilities for the
>> retarded at the expense of simple usability for the ordinary  
>> middle of
>> the road user.
>
> I would gently suggest that this is not the best attitude to display
> when trying to get help from volunteers.  I understand that you are
> frustrated, but keep in mind that Simon and the other core developers
> have expended far far more time that you've lost due to your
> frustrations so that we could all have R.

	They were doing it of their own choosing.  I have had my
	frustrations forced upon me, since I need to get R working
	properly in order to get on with what I'm being paid to do.

	Furthermore ***they*** understand what's going; I don't!!!

> Furthermore, the changes
> that are riling you at the moment are as much (if not more so) a
> result of the changes that Apple has made w/ Snow Leopard.

	Well, that's different!!! :-)

		cheers,

			Rolf Turner

######################################################################
Attention:\ This e-mail message is privileged and confid...{{dropped:9}}