[R-sig-teaching] importing and processing large datasets in R (fwd)

[R. Michael Weylandt]

On Fri, Jan 18, 2013 at 3:32 PM, Monte Milanuk <memilanuk at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello Bob,
>
> I'm one of those who follow the list mainly out of curiosity, not
> because I have any connection with teaching stats.  My goal was to
> keep an eye out for some of the occasional posts where people post
> useful links or material that they use in teaching... but I understand
> the frustration with the frequent off-topic requests for help learning
> R.
>
> I don't know if yet another mailing list would be worth considering...
> but for comparison, in the Python world there is a SIG for Education,
> very similar to this one... and there is a SIG/mailing list called
> 'python-tutor', specifically for people asking beginner type
> questions, or who maybe don't want to brave the 'main' list and its
> denizens just yet because they still need/want some hand-holding.
> There is very little off-topic discussion on the Edu list, and
> neophytes have a kiddie pool that they feel welcome in.
>
> I know the R community seems to kind of enjoy the occasional
> snarkiness on the main list by certain posters, and I've certainly
> been around the 'Net long enough to have developed a thick enough skin
> myself, but for new users it may be a bit intimidating.  Maybe an
> 'R-Novice' or 'R-Tutor' list would open up an intermediate ground for
> beginners and reduce the 'pollution' of the R-Teaching list?
>

It's a topic that's been discussed many times before on R-help, with
the usual outcome being some feeling that it would lower the quality
of responses that newbies get. I'm not sure it's an argument I buy,
but if you want to raise the topic again, I can certainly promise to
be active (enough) on R-Tutor.

There might also be some value in thinking of an R-Statistics list
(though under a much better name) where statistical questions are fair
game -- it's always seemed odd to me that data munging is a fair topic
on the various R lists, while data analysis isn't.

Just throwing it out there,

MW