From jlindsey@luc.ac.be  Fri Nov 28 08:25:04 1997
From: jlindsey@luc.ac.be (Jim Lindsey)
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 1997 09:25:04 +0100 (MET)
Subject: R-alpha: batch
Message-ID: <9711280825.AA30943@alpha.luc.ac.be>

In my limited knowledge of computers, a program that creates a hidden
file without informing you and then, in subsequent runs, has its
behaviour modified in unpredictable ways because of this is called a
virus.
  I am glad to learn that, with Ross's suggestion, R will finally be
removed from this undesirable class of programs, something that I have
been requesting since v0.13.
  I strongly recommend that the default in the distribution be no
.RData so the beginners do not get badly burned. The warnings in the
R notes about cleaning up before creating the .RData are far from
sufficient to indicate the dangers of these files. There should also
be a clear statement in the FAQ about the problems with their
existence.
  Jim 
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R-alpha: batch
Jim Lindsey