[R-wiki] R as a programming language

[Roger Bivand]

On Mon, 30 Jan 2006, Philippe Grosjean wrote:

> Roger,
> 
> Thank you for pointing us this reference. I especially appreciate how an 
> algorithm work is depicted. Look, for instance, at 
> http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book-Z-H-11.html, 1.2.1 
> Linear Recursion and Iteration, Fig 1.3. It is a very simple figure, but 
>   it explains very clearly how the recursive function "factorial" works.
> 
> I think it should be of a great use to explain to beginners simple 
> things the same way. For instance, to explain recycling rule, or how 
> apply() and the like work (but these are just examples).

The lead-in is from:

http://cran.r-project.org/doc/html/interface98-paper/paper_1.html

first few paragraphs. Very dated, of course, but the mission of R is 
there.

Roger


> Best,
> 
> Philippe Grosjean
> 
> 
> Roger Bivand wrote:
> > 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
> >>
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>R-sig-wiki mailing list
> >>R-sig-wiki at r-project.org
> >>https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-wiki
> >>
> > 
> > 
> 

-- 
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