[R-wiki] R as a programming language

[Roger Bivand]

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006, Patrick Burns wrote:

> In gathering opinions relative to the UCLA tech report,
> it seems that part of the difficulty of learning R is that it
> is a programming language.  This comes both from Jon
> Baron and from a SAS/R user with no programming
> background.
> 
> In the light of this it seems like having a page on the wiki
> that is an introduction to programming would be a good
> idea. Some people probably muddle programming
> problems and data analysis problems together and are not
> able to see their way out of either.
> 
> Such a page might also encourage the use of R as a
> language to be used when teaching programming.  If we
> can get kids learning R before they are effective at complaining,
> then we'll have an easier time in future.

I'm sure I'm quite out of line, but a big flashing warning somewhere to 
alert hopeful users to the fact that reading is associated (maybe used to 
be?) with learning might be useful? Perhaps a reference to:

http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/

given R's genetic relationship to Scheme? Just reading Chapter 1 Section 1 
is still a thought-provoking and rewarding experience ... and yields quite 
unprecedented returns on time invested (certainly compared to just 
clicking around software hoping it will "explain itself").

Roger

PS:

Maybe a phrasebook from SICP Ch1S1 to R:

> "+"(137, 349)
[1] 486
> "/"(10, 5)
[1] 2
...
> "+"("*"(3, 5), "-"(10, 6))
[1] 19
...
> size <- 2
> "*"(5, size)
[1] 10





> 
> Pat
> 
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-- 
Roger Bivand
Economic Geography Section, Department of Economics, Norwegian School of
Economics and Business Administration, Helleveien 30, N-5045 Bergen,
Norway. voice: +47 55 95 93 55; fax +47 55 95 95 43
e-mail: Roger.Bivand at nhh.no