[R] Learning advanced R

[Duncan Murdoch]

On 14/03/2018 12:07 PM, Rich Shepard wrote:
> On Wed, 14 Mar 2018, Barry Rowlingson wrote:
> 
>> Depending on your application, I'm not sure there's much point in being an
>> "advanced R programmer" these days. Become an adequate R programmer, and
>> learn C++ and Rcpp. Do basic data mashing in R, then do all your intensive
>> stuff in C++ with Rcpp. Eventually you'll probably get to the point where
>> you can express yourself in C++ as fast as you can in interpreted R, with
>> the bonus of C++ speed, type-safety etc.
> 
> Barry,
> 
>     Allow me to offer an alternative to C++: Python. Compiled languages are
> faster than interpreted ones, but unless you're doing time-critical
> computations it really does not matter. R and Python provide proven
> abilities in a broad range of applications and with today's hardware the
> analytical/modeling code is not likely to be the limiting factor.
> 

I'm all for learning more languages and using the one that's best for 
each job, but for people who don't know Python, it would be helpful to 
list the aspects in which it excels.  When should an R user choose to 
write something in Python instead?

Duncan Murdoch