> From: Peter Dalgaard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> 
> John Christie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> 
> > what does this mean in R-1.8.1 release notes?
> > 
> >      o      median() no longer `works' for odd-length 
> factor variables.
> 
> The median has always been undefined for factors, but nevertheless
> median() gave an answer. If the length was even, it would 
> fail since it needed to average non-numeric values. This 
> confused some and the answer you got for in the odd-length 
> case was meaningless anyway (what's the median of three 
> pears, four apples, and two bananas?). So now we check.

Why not just give an error if median is given an unordered factor?

Andy
 
> -- 
>    O__  ---- Peter Dalgaard             Blegdamsvej 3  
>   c/ /'_ --- Dept. of Biostatistics     2200 Cph. N   
>  (*) \(*) -- University of Copenhagen   Denmark      Ph: 
> (+45) 35327918
> ~~~~~~~~~~ - ([EMAIL PROTECTED])             FAX: 
> (+45) 35327907
> 
> ______________________________________________
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list 
> https://www.stat.math.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo> /r-help
>

______________________________________________
[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list
https://www.stat.math.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help

Reply via email to