Hi Ista, Spencer and Greg, I admit to my last response being out of line and scathing. But instead of explaining or suggesting improvements in the Survey, I was belittled by Rex on more than one occasion.
I have clarified the purpose of the survey and why I would like to collect the responses and what possible analyses I would carry out. The questions asked are: Employer/Company Name Industry Description of R usage Technologies used with R Location Academic Background What do you use when R related help is required? Name your most frequently used R package ? Members here have raised questions about my intentions and motives in collecting the above information. Would it not be helpful to clarify which questions here have potential of misuse ? I did heed Rex's comments and removed the Name field, and added suitable disclaimers. Even after that, I was being called names. This could have been avoided in my opinion. What sort of personal information do I have to share here to better qualify my antecedents and motives? My LinkedIn profile page is here http://in.linkedin.com/in/harshsinghal The information being collected is purely out of personal interest and I have mentioned this earlier. There is no commercial interest involved. Is it possible that I am interested in this sort of information to better understand R's usage patterns ? In doing so, the survey I am conducting would seem an appropriate way for my requirements. And how does belittling someone on a mailing list help ? If anyone wants the kind of information I am collecting, are there suggestions of better ways of finding it besides the method that I have adopted ? Sure I could scrape the data of LinkedIn pages, or find other ways of doing it, but I found this suitable. On Sat, Mar 5, 2011 at 1:27 AM, Spencer Graves < spencer.gra...@structuremonitoring.com> wrote: > Most surveys done in the US today are done during election season, to > determine how to package candidates to attract votes. Officials elected > under such circumstances spend half their time in office servicing the > bribes that they accepted to pay for the surveys and the resulting > advertising (and the other half soliciting more bribes er contributions for > their next campaign). The best reference on this I know is Thomas Ferguson > (1995) Golden Rule (U. Chicago Pr.). It's by now somewhat old but is still > cited by leading researchers. > > > People have a right to be cautious of surveys, because too rarely > today are surveys used for legitimate scientific purposes. Most often, they > are used to defraud the public into doing things that are contrary to their > best interests. > > > Spencer Graves > > > > On 3/4/2011 11:37 AM, Ista Zahn wrote: > >> Now hold on a second Harsh! I was fairly neutral up to this point, but >> this response is totally uncalled for. The problem is that despite >> repeated requests you never clarified the purpose of your research! >> That is all you were asked to do, but rather than responding to this >> inquirly in a straightforward and honest manner you kept dodging the >> question. The most charitable explanation is that you just don't >> understand what information you were being asked to provide, which is >> frustrating but understandable; your last response on the other hand >> is completly out of line. Research participants have a right to know >> the purpose for which their data is being collected, and as a >> researcher you have a responsibility to tell them. >> >> Rex, thank you for generating this discussion. When I first say >> Harsh's original email I was just getting ready to fill out the >> survey. When I saw your response I delayed. Boy am I glad I did! >> >> Best, >> Ista >> >> On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 2:20 PM, Harsh<singhal...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Rex, >>> You're just paranoid and I'm in no way answerable to you. Your constant >>> name >>> calling presupposes your own naivete. >>> >>> The survey has a disclaimer and those who wish to respond can do so at >>> their >>> own discretion. >>> >>> Judging by the nature (and number) of respondents, there seem to be a lot >>> of >>> highly qualified people who have no qualms about sharing information >>> regarding their R usage patterns. >>> >>> You can believe what you want and can continue to spin your imaginative >>> tales of "industrial espionage" while assuming a position of apparent >>> authority on survey design, Oscar gowns and data security AND my >>> apparent >>> ulterior and "outrageous" motives. >>> >>> You also seem to be an ignorant and misinformed person. Google forms, >>> using >>> which the survey was created DOES NOT log IP addresses of the >>> respondents. >>> >>> And exactly which question in the survey would contribute to endangering >>> the >>> professional or personal safety and security of people responding to the >>> survey. The information sought is freely available on LinkedIn. I merely >>> want to get more descriptive information directly from R users. >>> >>> If you haven't looked at the Survey questions, then refrain from making >>> misconstrued remarks. >>> >>> I apologize to the other users of this list for prolonging this frivolous >>> debate here. This will be my last response on the list regarding this >>> topic. >>> >>> >>> If anyone has an issue pertaining to the Survey, its outcome and my >>> motives, >>> they can get in touch with me independently and off the list. All forms >>> of >>> constructive comments are also welcome. >>> >>> For those interested in sharing their R usage information please visit >>> goo.gl/jw1ig >>> >>> - H >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On 04-Mar-2011 10:34 PM,<rex.dw...@syngenta.com> wrote: >>> >>>> You still don't say what organization you are associated with. Your >>>> domain >>>> >>> name and e-mail address give no hint. How do we know that "Harsh Singhal" >>> is >>> even a real person? An e-mail address at a university (for example) would >>> go >>> a long way to establish that. Gmail doesn't cut it for me. >>> >>>> The preponderance of evidence is that you're just a naïve person who >>>> would >>>> >>> give your own information to anyone who asked. On the other hand, it's >>> possible that you are conducting industrial espionage by recording IP >>> addresses and associating "use cases" with companies. In my opinion, the >>> onus is on you to show your bona fides, and you haven't done it. >>> >>>> That's all I have to say... >>>> >>>> >>>> From: Harsh [mailto:singhal...@gmail.com] >>>> Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 4:19 AM >>>> To: bill.venab...@csiro.au >>>> Cc: Dwyer Rex USRE; r-help@r-project.org >>>> Subject: Re: [R] R usage survey >>>> >>>> The R usage survey goo.gl/jw1ig<http://goo.gl/jw1ig> has been updated >>>> with >>>> >>> the following changes: >>> >>>> Addition of - >>>> Disclaimer : >>>> This data will not be used for any commercial purposes >>>> Do not include any personally identifiable information >>>> Contact: Harsh Singhal (singhalblr AT gmail DOT com) for any queries >>>> >>>> Removal of - >>>> Name field >>>> >>>> My primary purpose in conducting this survey is - >>>> - Find multiple use cases for various R packages >>>> - Understand the nature of work when R is being used in Academia / >>>> >>> Commercial settings >>> >>>> - The kind of technologies that are being used in conjunction with R >>>> >>> (popularity of usage of Python with R, and what purpose does using Python >>> solve) >>> >>>> The outcome of this analysis will be published on my blog (in the >>>> process >>>> >>> of being created). >>> >>>> There is absolutely no commercial purpose behind collecting this >>>> >>> information and as earlier stated, this information will not be shared >>> with >>> personally identifiable information. >>> >>>> Thank you once again Mr. Dwyer and Mr. Venables for raising very import >>>> >>> questions. >>> >>>> I thank the R users who have already filled in the survey goo.gl/jw1ig< >>>> >>> http://goo.gl/jw1ig> and request more to do so. >>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Harsh Singhal >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 7:41 AM,<bill.venab...@csiro.au> wrote: >>>> No. That's not answering the question. ALL surveys are for collecting >>>> >>> information. >>> >>>> The substantive issue is what purpose do you have in seeking this >>>> >>> information in the first place and what are you going to do with it when >>> you >>> get it? >>> >>>> Do you have some commercial purpose in mind? If so, what is it? >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: r-help-boun...@r-project.org<mailto:r-help-boun...@r-project.org> >>>> >>> [mailto:r-help-boun...@r-project.org<mailto:r-help-boun...@r-project.org >>> >] >>> On Behalf Of Harsh >>> >>>> Sent: Friday, 4 March 2011 1:13 AM >>>> To: rex.dw...@syngenta.com<mailto:rex.dw...@syngenta.com> >>>> Cc: r-help@r-project.org<mailto:r-help@r-project.org> >>>> Subject: Re: [R] R usage survey >>>> >>>> Hi Rex and useRs, >>>> >>>> The purpose of the survey has been mentioned on the survey link >>>> >>> goo.gl/jw1ig<http://goo.gl/jw1ig> >>> >>>> but I will also reproduce it here. >>>> - Geographical distribution of R users >>>> - Application areas where R is being used >>>> - Supporting technology being used along with R >>>> - Academic background distribution of R users >>>> >>>> The potential personally identifiable information such as name and >>>> >>> employer >>> >>>> name are optional fields. Actually all the fields in the survey are >>>> optional. >>>> >>>> Some of the analysis output(s) could be along the lines of :- >>>> - Usage statistics of various R packages >>>> - Distribution of R users across countries/cities >>>> - Mapping various applications to packages >>>> - Text Mining of the responses to create informative word clouds >>>> >>>> Personally, I am excited about the kind of data I will receive through >>>> >>> this >>> >>>> survey and the various insights that could be derived. As already >>>> >>> mentioned, >>> >>>> the results will be shared with the community. >>>> >>>> Thank you Rex for raising an important point. It is indeed necessary for >>>> >>> me >>> >>>> to personally assure the user community that the results will be shared >>>> in >>>> >>> a >>> >>>> manner that will not contain any personally identifiable information. >>>> >>>> Those who wish to gain access to the raw data will be provided with all >>>> >>> the >>> >>>> fields but not the name and employer name fields. >>>> >>>> Just out of curiosity : It is possible to get name, employer name, >>>> >>> location, >>> >>>> usage information and academic background details when searching for R >>>> >>> users >>> >>>> on LinkedIn and the many R related groups there. >>>> Does this also provide potential opportunities for misuse and >>>> "outrageous" >>>> analyses, since almost anyone can get onto LinkedIn and access user >>>> >>> profiles >>> >>>> ? >>>> >>>> Thank you for your interest and support. >>>> Regards, >>>> Harsh >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 8:02 PM,<rex.dw...@syngenta.com<mailto: >>>> >>> rex.dw...@syngenta.com>> wrote: >>> >>>> Harsh, "Suitably analyzed" for whose purposes? One man's "suitable" is >>>>> another's "outrageous". That's why people want to see the gowns at the >>>>> Oscars. Under what auspices are you conducting this survey? What do you >>>>> intend to do with it? You don't give any assurance that the results you >>>>> post won't have personally identifiable information. I don't get the >>>>> impression that you know much about survey design. >>>>> >>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>> From: r-help-boun...@r-project.org<mailto:r-help-boun...@r-project.org >>>>> > >>>>> >>>> [mailto:r-help-boun...@r-project.org<mailto: >>> r-help-boun...@r-project.org>] >>> >>>> On Behalf Of Harsh >>>>> Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2011 5:53 AM >>>>> To: r-help@r-project.org<mailto:r-help@r-project.org> >>>>> Subject: [R] R usage survey >>>>> >>>>> Hi R users, >>>>> I request members of the R community to consider filling a short survey >>>>> regarding the use of R. >>>>> The survey can be found at http://goo.gl/jw1ig >>>>> >>>>> Please accept my apologies for posting here for a non-technical reason. >>>>> >>>>> The data collected will be suitably analyzed and I'll post a link to >>>>> the >>>>> results in the coming weeks. >>>>> >>>>> Thank you all for your interest and for sharing your R usage >>>>> information. >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> Harsh Singhal >>>>> >>>>> [[alternative HTML version deleted]] >>>>> >>>>> ______________________________________________ >>>>> R-help@r-project.org<mailto: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. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> message may contain confidential information. If you are not the >>>>> >>>> designated >>> >>>> recipient, please notify the sender immediately, and delete the original >>>>> >>>> and >>> >>>> any copies. Any use of the message by you is prohibited. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> [[alternative HTML version deleted]] >>>> >>>> ______________________________________________ >>>> R-help@r-project.org<mailto: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. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> message may contain confidential information. If you are not the >>>> >>> designated recipient, please notify the sender immediately, and delete >>> the >>> original and any copies. Any use of the message by you is prohibited. >>> >>> [[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. >>> >>> [[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.
