[R-wiki] Beginner - Intermediate - Advanced... new attempt

[Martin Maechler]

>>>>> "PhGr" == Philippe Grosjean <phgrosjean at sciviews.org>
>>>>>     on Mon, 30 Jan 2006 17:21:56 +0100 writes:

    PhGr> Martin Maechler wrote:
    >> I don't want to get into the other parts of the
    >> discussion,
    >> 
    >> but if you want to have these tags, I think the names (in
    >> the subject line) should be considered again and compared
    >> with your proposal: 1) 'novice' instead of 'beginner' :
    >> improvement; good!  2) 'user' instead of 'intermediate' :
    >> I think 'user' is too vague 3) 'expert' instead of
    >> 'advanced' : This is too restrictive, One could argue
    >> that only those who are able to read and understand most
    >> of R's source code (C & Fortran) are "experts" whereas
    >> probably the majority of attendees of the "useR!"
    >> conference should and would be interested and able to
    >> gain knowledge from sections in the third category.
    >> 
    >> Martin

    PhGr> I know for 'user' and 'expert'. The problem is that I
    PhGr> run out of imagination to get a good name for these
    PhGr> skill levels.

    PhGr> 'user' means someone that can use R at least for doing
    PhGr> basic stuff...  So, what else than 'user', or 'useR'?
    PhGr> Someone that cannot run R... is not a user! Someone
    PhGr> that is a little bit more skilled is supposed to
    PhGr> become a developer... So, that is why I like 'user'.

'user' is too large set.  I'm a user too, but not only.
That's why I had somewhat preferred 'intermediate';
one could have "average user"; "typical user"; "standard user".
As I tried to explain originally: Just 'user' is too vague.

    PhGr> And for 'advanced/expert'? Do you have a better
    PhGr> proposition? 

yes; that's what I meant: I think 'advanced' is much better than
'expert'

Martin Maechler

    PhGr> In my mind this is to tag pages or
    PhGr> sections that go a little beyond what you need to run
    PhGr> a function, or an analysis. For instance, some
    PhGr> detailed explanation on the way it works internally,
    PhGr> or some trick that would interest developers only.

    PhGr> Best,

    PhGr> Philippe Grosjean