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

[Jeff Laux]

I think the kinds of confusions that prompted this discussion are 
normal, and may not be something to fret over.  That said, I support the 
idea of another appropriate SIG.  However, r-sig-teaching & r-sig-tutor 
are going to elicit more of these same kinds of confusions.  We should 
use r-sig-forstatisticseducation and r-sig-fornovices, instead.


On 1/18/2013 11:08 AM, Christopher W. Ryan wrote:
> I'd participate actively in an "R-tutor" mailing list.
>
> --Chris
>
> Christopher W. Ryan, MD, MS
> SUNY Upstate Medical University Clinical Campus at Binghamton
> 425 Robinson Street, Binghamton, NY  13904
> cryanatbinghamtondotedu
>
> "Once we recognize that we do not err out of laziness, stupidity, or
> evil intent, we can liberate ourselves from the impossible burden of
> trying to be permanently right. We can take seriously the proposition
> that we could be in error, without deeming ourselves idiotic or
> unworthy." [Karen Schulz, in Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error]
>
>
> R. Michael Weylandt wrote:
>> 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
>>
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