[R-sig-ME] lme4.0

[Ben Bolker]

Viechtbauer Wolfgang (STAT <wolfgang.viechtbauer at ...> writes:

> 
> Dear lme4 Authors,
> 
> I am wondering if a lme4.0 version (i.e., a backwards compatible,
>  bug fixes only version) is still going to
> be released (via CRAN). I noticed that lme4 version 1.0-4 is
>  (currently) available for R-devel, but there
> is no lme4.0. Does this indicate that lme4.0 is off the table?
> 

  It's not off the table, but is very much up in the air (to mix
metaphors).  As of right now we haven't convinced the CRAN maintainers
to accept lme4.0, but we haven't given up either. Our
best chance of convincing them seems to be to get almost all of the
downstream packages go smoothly to lme4, so that only a few are left
depending on lme4.0 (thus hopefully convincing the CRAN maintainers 
that the scope for lme4.0/lme4 trouble is small).
  I don't expect this to be settled in the very near future; we will
focus our attention on helping package maintainers with the upgrade
process for the next couple of weeks, then assess the situation/renew
our lobbying efforts.
  In case anyone was thinking of contacting the CRAN maintainers
independently to plead for lme4.0, please *don't* -- if you have
thoughts on the subject or just want to make strong statements about
how important it is, please bring it up with the lme4 authors
instead.

  cheers
    Ben Bolker

PS this response is my own personal take on the situation, but I
think it is fairly representative of the view of all of the lme4
authors ...