Thanks guys, Dirk: I generally resort to using my laptop for R analysis, but it usually involves dragging loads of data multiple times between a customer system and my laptop. Moving large amounts of data in this fashion can be a problem, particularly when there's sensitivity issues about the data itself.
I've used Quantian in the past, and I've customised my own Knoppix CDs, but ideally I'd like to run *my* tools (i.e. R) on *their* system so I'm not having to deal with the logistical and security issues that come with moving data around between systems. I didn't realise that the Windows version of R was "relocatable" that easily - I just assumed the install did something more complex than that. I'll try copying the R files to a USB key later today. Thanks again Dave M. On 11/17/05, Dirk Eddelbuettel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On 17 November 2005 at 14:16, David Mitchell wrote: > | Hello list, > | > | A short time ago, I found > | http://johnhaller.com/jh/useful_stuff/portable_apps_suite/, which > | contains basically a complete set of office tools that can be run > | *entirely* from a USB key. The concept is: > | - find a Windows PC > | - put in your USB key > | - run OpenOffice, Firefox, Gaim, Nvu, Thunderbird, ... directly from > | your USB key, with no app installation required > | - save your files wherever > | - remove your USB key and leave, with nothing installed on the original PC > | > | As a consultant who battles regularly with limited toolsets at > | customer sites, this strikes me as an extremely handy way of working. > | > | Has anyone managed to setup a base R configuration that runs entirely > | from USB key? Being a regular user, but no expert, with R, it'd be > | very helpful for me if such a mechanism existed, but I've got no idea > | where to begin in building such a thing. > > Short answer: > Yes but using Linux, requiring a larger USB stick and some fiddling. > > Longer answer: > Quantian (http://dirk.eddelbuettel.com/quantian) is a "everything, > the kitchen sink and some" Linux distribution running off a DVD. Quantian is > focussed on quantitative / numeric apps, and tends to include R plus related > goodies -- the last release had an almost complete set of CRAN and > BioConductor packages. The raw size of the last release is around 2 GB, > corresponding to 6.6 GB expanded. Marco Caliari, who often contributes > improved boot code to Quantian, has managed to boot Quantian off a USB > stick. I didn't manage to do that with my laptop, possibly because of > limitations in its bios. Some of this was discussed in past threads on the > quantian-general mailing list. > > Lots-o-work suggestion: > To not require a huge USB stick, you could try to shrink a given live > cdrom such as Knoppix or Ubuntu, then add R and other goodies such that > you're left with around 512 MB compressed. Then throw it onto a USB stick and > make it bootable. > > Shortcut: > Order a Quantian DVD. Some folks sell them pre-made for less than $5. > Experiment with that, If you like it, consider making your own mini-distro. > Or stick with the DVD and use it directly with the USB stick for your > configuration, data, demos, ... > > Even shorter: > R is perfectly "relocatable". If you install the Windows binary onto > the USB drive, it will run fine. You'll probably need to add editors and > other tools. > > Hope this helps, Dirk > > -- > Statistics: The (futile) attempt to offer certainty about uncertainty. > -- Roger Koenker, 'Dictionary of Received Ideas of Statistics' > ______________________________________________ [email protected] mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide! http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
