uploading binary packages (was RE: [R] Update packages)

[Friedrich.Leisch@ci.tuwien.ac.at]

>>>>> On Tue, 01 Oct 2002 08:04:40 -0400,
>>>>> Liaw, Andy (LA) wrote:

  > [I guess R-devel is more appropriate for this question:]
  > Will CRAN maintainers accept binary packages (in addition to source) from
  > the package maintainers?  As an example, I develop and test randomForest on
  > both Linux and WinNT, so I can always make the binary.  This could make life
  > a bit easier for BDR and DM.  Are there any potential problems?

Yes, especially on Windows there is the danger of viruses. We (=the
CRAN master admins) cannot check for viruses because we have almost no
windows machines. And even if we had, we could not make any guarantees.

So the current policy is to have one or two maintainers for each
binary distribution of R and let them handle the rest. This ensures
that each binary distribution has been compiled using identical tools
and binaries are exchanged only in one direction (which makes it
harder for viruses to spread).

Allowing for binary uploads opens a can of worms I'd rather not like
to open. Of course I'm no windows user, so have no strong preferences
with respect to binaries for that particular platform.

Best,
Fritz





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