From spencer.graves at pdf.com  Sun May 21 17:45:14 2006
From: spencer.graves at pdf.com (Spencer Graves)
Date: Sun, 21 May 2006 08:45:14 -0700
Subject: [Rd] Suggesting changes to HELP files?
Message-ID: <44708B0A.1050409@pdf.com>

	  Is there a procedure for suggesting changes to HELP files of the core 
R distribution?  If yes, what is it?  If it would be considered a 
friendly gesture, I could find the relevant *.Rd file and submit a 
suggested modification to it someplace.  Alternatively, I could just 
send suggestions someplace if they would receive appropriate 
consideration.

	  On many occasions, I think of modifications, e.g., additional 
examples, that could be added to 'help' pages that I believe would make 
it easier for people to understand how to use some R feature.  Instead, 
I often provide the same answer multiple times to different posts.

	  I can think of two changes off the top of my head that I'd like to 
see:  First, many if not all of the helps page in the nlme and lme4 
packages should, I believe, include a reference Pinheiro and Bates. 
This is not the place for modesty on the part of Pinheiro, Bates, and 
co-workers.  I believe that many requests for help might be eliminated 
if such references were added.  Failing that, it would be easier for 
people like me to suggest someone read that book, because I wouldn't 
feel such a need to spell out the entire citation every time.

	  Second, I think the description of 'vignette' could be enhanced to 
include some version of my 'p.s.' to 
'http://finzi.psych.upenn.edu/R/Rhelp02a/archive/73494.html' and other 
similar posts.  In particular, I see that the 'edit' method is described 
there, but I didn't understand what it said until I already knew how to 
use it.  Also, 'edit' doesn't work for me under ESS / Emacs.  For that, 
I use Stangle (as Sundar Dorai-Raj taught me).

	  Thanks,
	  Spencer Graves



[Rd] Suggesting changes to HELP files?
Spencer Graves