Here’s the issue recapitulated in a nutshell:
- As no one talked to anyone else before the semester, we’re using different versions & configurations of R & RCMDR across campus. Jeff’s already initiated contact w/Central & Engineering to make sure we’ll be on the same page for the fall semester.
- R is a free replacement for SPSS. It is the base software & everything else is essentially a glorified plug-in (“package”). We only installed R on Commons desktops & HP laptops, as we were concerned about compatibility issues between course work across different academic departments. R has an extremely annoying interface.
- Many of these plug-ins require other plug-ins in order to function.
- These plug-ins (“packages”) update on cycles different than the base software, which means it can result in a breakpoint of functionality between R & the packages.
- A minor update of a dependent package of RCMDR (the simplified GUI package for running stats) called “car” was built to only run with the newest version of R, which was released after we imaged machines for the spring semester.
- RCMDR cannot be installed & loaded on the HP laptops & the Windows desktops without first updating R, then reinstalling RCMDR, then installing missing packages that RCMDR requires before it will even properly load.
- Since campus isn’t all on the same page, and further releases of R are planned prior to semester’s end, there’s little value in updating R across all our machines without the knowledge of what else it may break between Chemistry, Psychology & Engineering.
- Laird has created a set of instructions that Nicole will keep on the Check Out & Commons desks, and which we’ve sent to Psychology for inclusion on their Blackboard site, which will allow students to manually update R & RMCDR on Windows desktops/HP laptops: Updating R 3.2.3 and RCMDR on Library Desktops and Laptops.
- The whole process takes a few minutes & will need to be repeated each time a student logs onto a desktop. We’ve opted not to install R on the Macs, because the potential for breaking the experience is even worse. The students we’ve helped mostly seem annoyed by R as a whole, & are just happy there’s a fix they can follow.