[R-SIG-Mac] M1 mid-January update

[Jean Thioulouse]

Is there a large speed difference for linear algebra operations between the Rosetta x86_64 builds and the native arm64 builds ?
On a Mac mini M1 8/256 I get only a slight speed increase (15% faster) with the arm version (experimental R-devel build).

Thanks
Jean

> Le 14 janv. 2021 à 08:41, Prof Brian Ripley <ripley using stats.ox.ac.uk> a écrit :
> 
> For native builds - nothing to report for x86_64 builds running under Rosetta which almost all the time 'just work' (and work fast).
> 
> The goal remains to release a native binary distribution with R 4.1.0 ca April: all but the intrepid are advised to use x86_64 until then.
> 
> - There is an experimental R-devel build of the R framework at https://mac.r-project.org/ .  That page reports 'failed' but usually the framework is complete.
> 
> - R.app will need to be partially re-written as it uses Objective C features which are no longer supported in Xcode 12.  (I guess this is why the page is reporting a failure.)
> 
> - There are most parts of a toolchain and a Fortran compiler at https://mac.r-project.org/libs-arm64/ (not the earlier versions at libs-arm).  These install into /opt/R/arm64, and the R-admin manual has been re-written to reflect that and point out some pitfalls.
> 
> - Binary packages are planned but the vast majority of packages install from source.  I currently have 240 CRAN check failures with 35 failing to install and 98 others requiring those (or BioC ones).  If you are interested in a particular package, https://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/pub/bdr/M1mac/ has recent logs for those failing directly, listed as 'additional issues' on their CRAN check pages.
> 
> -- 
> Brian D. Ripley,                  ripley using stats.ox.ac.uk
> Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics, University of Oxford
> 
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