[RsR] Traditional vs. lattice graphics

[Martin Maechler]

>>>>> "Valentin" == Valentin Todorov <valentin.todorov using chello.at>
>>>>>     on Fri, 30 Dec 2005 11:48:25 +0100 writes:

    Valentin> Dear RSR-List,
    Valentin> I wish you all the best in the new 2006.

and so do I.

    Valentin> May be all of you are enjoying the holidays, but I want to ask (a stupid?)

not at all stupid; rather very interesting, and very good to ask early..

    Valentin> question about graphics - what type of graphics shall we prefer for
    Valentin> implementing the plot functions of a package, the traditional graphics or
    Valentin> the lattice package:

    Valentin> a) only traditional

I'm slightly modifying  -- as Achim "kind of mentioned" -- your
subsequent points to include "grid".
Note that lattice is written, using grid graphics, so the two
belong together.

            b) only grid & lattice

            c) mixed (some of the plots are implemented using traditional graphics and
	              others using the grid and/or lattice package)
            d) both - all plots in the package are implemented as traditional as well as
	              grid or lattice plots and the user has an option to choose one of them.

I'd be pragmatic and go for "c)" , at least for now,
with the following reasoning / arguments:

grid and lattice (which is based on grid) are clearly superior
to traditional graphics in their design and possibilities {for 'grid'}.
However, for some S / R programmers, the effort to work with
lattice or grid may be considerably higher than traditional
graphics.  Now since 'robustbase' is really first about
computation (and inference) with graphics only an important
tool, I would hesitate to *require* that people provide plot()
methods via grid/lattice.
If novel plots are invented, they really ``should'' be done via
grid graphics {or maybe via lattice panel functions using grid
graphics};  but I'm not sure we will see such novel plots...
OTOH, for really simple plots {lines, points,.. in only one
'panel'}, the use of lattice/grid does not add much value (I
think) and actually may make it even make it considerably harder
for "traditionalists" to add to such a graphic.

It could be interesting to hear many more opinions...

Martin