[R] popular R packages

[Dirk Eddelbuettel]

On 8 March 2009 at 13:27, Duncan Murdoch wrote:
| But we don't even have that data, since CRAN is distributed across lots 
| of mirrors.

On 8 March 2009 at 19:01, Emmanuel Charpentier wrote:
| As far as I can see (but I might be nearsighted), I see no model linking
| package download to package use(s). Data may or may not become available

Which is why Debian (and Ubuntu) use the _opt-in package_ popularity-contest
that collects data on packages used and submits that to a host collecting the
data.  This drives the so-called 'popcon' statistics.

Yes, and there are many ways in which one can criticise this data collection
process.   But I fail to see how __not having any data__ leads to more
informed decisions.

Once you have data, you have an option of using or discarding it. But if you
have no data, you have no option.  How is that better?

Dirk

-- 
Three out of two people have difficulties with fractions.