The generic is what the user calls, the method is what the generic calls. For example, the "summary" function is a generic function, when you issue a command like summary(x) then the generic function looks at what type of object x is and calls the appropriate method which might be the summary.lm function, or the summary.default function (which are methods).
-- Gregory (Greg) L. Snow Ph.D. Statistical Data Center Intermountain Healthcare greg.s...@imail.org 801.408.8111 > -----Original Message----- > From: r-help-boun...@r-project.org [mailto:r-help-bounces@r- > project.org] On Behalf Of Laura Smith > Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 7:59 PM > To: r-help@r-project.org > Subject: [R] newbie Question on Generic and Method > > Hi! > > Here is a newbie question, please: what is the difference between a > generic > and a method? > > Thanks, > Laura > > [[alternative HTML version deleted]] > > ______________________________________________ > R-help@r-project.org mailing list > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting- > guide.html > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code. ______________________________________________ R-help@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
