[Rd] Proposal: 'global' package refactoring

[Luke Tierney]

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003, Prof Brian Ripley wrote:

> I am explicitly not prepared to `refactor' MASS.  Not only is it
> explicitly support software for a book (which references it and those
> references cannot be changed retrospectively), it also represents much
> work over many years.  Not that we get much credit for it, but we do get
> some and these days that does matter.
> 
> Parts of MASS have been incorporated into both R and S-PLUS -- perhaps we 
> have already gone too far.  Indeed, I have floated the idea of migrating 
> some functionality back, notably that of package lqs (which is part of 
> MASS in the S version).
> 

I think many package authors will find the idea of scattering things
they have written into many places unacceptable, both because, as
Brian says, it is hard enough to get credit for one's efforts when
there is an identifiable unit and because it makes maintenance more
difficult.

This suggests that there may be several organizations that make sense
for different purposes: one for code maintenance and one for use, or
maybe more than one for use: geostatistical users may prefer a
different organization than bioinformatics users or instructors in
elementary data analysis courses.

In principle it might be possible to use the name space mechanism to
provide different organizational structures: One can create a new
package that imports selected variables form a variety of packages and
then exports them as the variables of the new package.  At present
this does not import and re-export documentation, but that could be
addressed if this approach seems viable.  (This also only works if the
original package providing the variables has a name space.)

Best,

luke


> On Mon, 24 Nov 2003, Warnes, Gregory R wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Looking over the contents of various packages, including my own, it is clear
> > that lots of things end up 'hidden away' in packages where they don't
> > belong.  My gregmisc package is a particularly egregious example, containing
> > something from almost every functional category.  
> > 
> > I propose that from time to time the R community go through the complete set
> > of packages and 'refactor' the functions and data sets into packages that
> > have clearly defined goals.   This should make it easier to ensure that new
> > functions get placed into a location where users can easily find them,
> > reduce the amount of re-implementation/duplication existing functionality,
> > and assist in ensuring interoperability.
> > 
> > It would be worthwhile, for instance, to pull all of the functions related
> > to contrasts for generalized linear models into a common location, instead
> > of having them spread between base, Hmisc, MASS, gregmisc, etc.   Similarly,
> > it would be helpful to pull together all of the genetics-computations into a
> > single location.
> > 
> > I recognize that not all package maintainers would be willing to participate
> > and that not all functions could be easily categorized, but I believe that
> > this effort would yield significant benefit and is compatible with the goal
> > of R-core to streamline the base packages. 
> > 
> > To put my money where my mouth is, I'll volunteer to organize a group effort
> > to do such a refactoring in conjunction with the userR! 2004 or the next
> > DSC, whichever folks agree is better for this purpose.
> > 
> > 
> > Gregory R. Warnes, Ph.D.
> > Senior Coordinator
> > Groton Non-Clinical Statistics
> > Pfizer Global Research and Development
> >  <<Warnes, Gregory R.vcf>> 
> > 
> > 
> > LEGAL NOTICE\ Unless expressly stated otherwise, this messag...{{dropped}}
> > 
> > 
> 
> 

-- 
Luke Tierney
University of Iowa                  Phone:             319-335-3386
Department of Statistics and        Fax:               319-335-3017
   Actuarial Science
241 Schaeffer Hall                  email:      luke at stat.uiowa.edu
Iowa City, IA 52242                 WWW:  http://www.stat.uiowa.edu