Hi,
I have no idea about SAS but i know that when i've started using R i've
struggled quite a bit until i started to get some insight and .... results. I
cannot say it is easier now, but certainly i like it much better, i would not
be ale to do the work i am doing without it and i would hate to change to a
different statistical software.
About the "steep learning curve" .... well i agree that depends on who is
learning it ..... but i think i am understanding that totally opposite than Ben
..... If x is the amount of learning and results (e.g. progress) and y is the
time ..... i certainly think you can spend a lot of time trying to learn and
understand things in R without much progress ..... I would consider that ....
"steep learning curve" .... but i might be wrong ;-)
Also, R does have a GUI and i say it is minimal but .... if i use anything else
- at least in my experience - since i tend to do computations which are very
demanding on memory (at least under dreaded Windows) - I decided against them.
So i suppose it is a personal choice, although more advanced GUI are available
with R.
The fact that the R list is very helpful .... it is already in the "pros" ....
and probably i learn from it much more than from anything else .... Actually
the list help me not to give up on R when i've started, and i stick with it
inspite of ill put questions (and i put quite a few in my time - and it seems i
still do) and answers from kind and protective and helpful to rather ill
humored - but even thouse usually had some info of interest. I don't think i
ever put a question which was not ultimately answered here ....
And ... it is obvious i was wrong about R and Linux ... although i saw so many
messages about installation problems under Linux that i assumed it is harder to
install ..... i guess it is not the case.
Also, it seems i have mistaken up-grades with updates regarding R versions
..... I consider packages as enhancements - but maybe they are up-grades .... i
would be lost without them ;-)
Thanks so much for your replies,
Monica> Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 12:14:11 -0400> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]> CC: [email protected]> Subject: Re: [R] Pros and Cons of
R> > Monica Pisica wrote:> > > > Cons:> > > > - R has a very steep learning
curve.> > I don't think the learning curve is any steeper than SAS
programming,> it is just a different kind of curve.> > > -- > Kevin E. Thorpe>
Biostatistician/Trialist, Knowledge Translation Program> Assistant Professor,
Department of Public Health Sciences> Faculty of Medicine, University of
Toronto> email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: 416.864.5776 Fax: 416.864.6057
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