I did not choose the current name but I am not sure any of the alternatives would be any clearer. I am also not sure how stray folks land here. To me the page of SIG lists at CRAN seems pretty clear. R-help starts off as though it is the usual help channel though as the description goes on it does begin to sound like a place for experts. I am not sure they would be interested in changing the description of their list for us, but we might be able to get our own changed to explicitly EXclude how-to questions. Still, the current description seems pretty clear.
But then we don't know people get here by looking at that list. Looking back, it does seem to me that most of the strays have appeared to have something other than English as their native tongue. In that case, R-teaching might translate as R-learning or R-teach-me-how. It sounds to me like the suggested alternatives could suffer the same fate. Forwarded message: > From [email protected] Fri Jan 18 11:48:41 2013 > X-Original-To: [email protected] > X-Csoft-Rule: spam<=5.0 > X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.3.2-csoft38 (2011-06-06) on > ubar.csoft.net > X-Spam-Level: > X-Spam-Status: No, score=-5.8 required=6.0 > tests=BAYES_00,DKIM_ADSP_CUSTOM_MED, > DKIM_SIGNED,MISSING_HEADERS,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_HI,T_DKIM_INVALID > autolearn=ham > version=3.3.2-csoft38 > DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; > h=mime-version:x-received:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id > :subject:from:cc:content-type; > bh=DiN7fl6+MGWfa44FNidN2SOWcZ+FlwUfhXBAE/lu7Ow=; > b=TC4ZLjr9a+s/p4nBdxqPRIlqlV5FIUF0UuTvBRtItEDvRx4m3u1H1GnFANh6YIl215 > 3wPSB3eNgGkxnn/UHKr1W7WJUuInBjfixZPEnpT5KGjYl/FDwD+6yVjxdVsRgyCfXs9p > UzqDvH7aj1cDGQIXtG0jO/znpKQqyX4sii5uDfRzm3NBlsXDqiKaiThoTcMby3R7HqXB > 8CShVF8illpYyCDiYK/cwG3oVXzo5uElf3HtyuhNTaswVMWMoNJK7Q9MixoFguZ4LfGS > w/4Be+/o/sEuJRl5UsHXVrouiM1C1Zx/qgqJaT6iQF+Dnp3+pIpHmG3GB9K4MVkPqUwy > OE4A== > MIME-Version: 1.0 > X-Received: by 10.112.8.129 with SMTP id r1mr3997441lba.127.1358527670836; > Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:47:50 -0800 (PST) > In-Reply-To: <[email protected]> > References: <[email protected]> > <CAC6CacjZX=krotcdi16evwdd-ucvy3jqr5an-yucgnj7f+2...@mail.gmail.com> > <caamysgnxj0sv0brw0t1v__qs97tq8ucib-pssua5mgwka4v...@mail.gmail.com> > <[email protected]> <[email protected]> > Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:47:50 -0800 > Message-ID: > <CAC6Caci=XNvLmUMOtF-nUWahRAyQ==5zKO+ZM+=sxw+rrae...@mail.gmail.com> > From: Monte Milanuk <[email protected]> > Cc: R-sig-teaching <[email protected]> > X-Tag-Only: YES > X-Filter-Node: phil1.ethz.ch > X-USF-Spam-Level: > X-USF-Spam-Status: hits=0.3 tests=FREEMAIL_FROM, MISSING_HEADERS, > RCVD_IN_DNSWL_LOW, SPF_PASS, T_DKIM_INVALID > X-USF-Spam-Flag: NO > X-Virus-Scanned: by amavisd-new at stat.math.ethz.ch > Subject: Re: [R-sig-teaching] importing and processing large datasets in R > (fwd) > X-BeenThere: [email protected] > X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.14 > Precedence: list > List-Id: SIG on Teaching Statistics using R <r-sig-teaching.r-project.org> > List-Unsubscribe: <https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/options/r-sig-teaching>, > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> > List-Archive: <https://stat.ethz.ch/pipermail/r-sig-teaching> > List-Post: <mailto:[email protected]> > List-Help: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=help> > List-Subscribe: <https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-teaching>, > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=subscribe> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Errors-To: [email protected] > Sender: [email protected] > > How about 'r-sig-edu' for Education - should be obvious enough to > faculty, teaching staff, etc., and 'r-sig-novice' (or -tutor) which > would probably 'jump out' as the obvious choice to a new user trying > to choose which list to subscribe and post to... > > Monte > > On Fri, Jan 18, 2013 at 8:22 AM, Jeff Laux <[email protected]> wrote: > > I think the kinds of confusions that prompted this discussion are normal, > > and may not be something to fret over. That said, I support the idea of > > another appropriate SIG. However, r-sig-teaching & r-sig-tutor are going to > > elicit more of these same kinds of confusions. We should use > > r-sig-forstatisticseducation and r-sig-fornovices, instead. > > > > > > > > On 1/18/2013 11:08 AM, Christopher W. Ryan wrote: > >> > >> I'd participate actively in an "R-tutor" mailing list. > >> > >> --Chris > >> > >> Christopher W. Ryan, MD, MS > >> SUNY Upstate Medical University Clinical Campus at Binghamton > >> 425 Robinson Street, Binghamton, NY 13904 > >> cryanatbinghamtondotedu > >> > >> "Once we recognize that we do not err out of laziness, stupidity, or > >> evil intent, we can liberate ourselves from the impossible burden of > >> trying to be permanently right. We can take seriously the proposition > >> that we could be in error, without deeming ourselves idiotic or > >> unworthy." [Karen Schulz, in Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of > >> Error] > >> > >> > >> R. Michael Weylandt wrote: > >>> > >>> On Fri, Jan 18, 2013 at 3:32 PM, Monte Milanuk <[email protected]> > >>> wrote: > >>>> > >>>> Hello Bob, > >>>> > >>>> I'm one of those who follow the list mainly out of curiosity, not > >>>> because I have any connection with teaching stats. My goal was to > >>>> keep an eye out for some of the occasional posts where people post > >>>> useful links or material that they use in teaching... but I understand > >>>> the frustration with the frequent off-topic requests for help learning > >>>> R. > >>>> > >>>> I don't know if yet another mailing list would be worth considering... > >>>> but for comparison, in the Python world there is a SIG for Education, > >>>> very similar to this one... and there is a SIG/mailing list called > >>>> 'python-tutor', specifically for people asking beginner type > >>>> questions, or who maybe don't want to brave the 'main' list and its > >>>> denizens just yet because they still need/want some hand-holding. > >>>> There is very little off-topic discussion on the Edu list, and > >>>> neophytes have a kiddie pool that they feel welcome in. > >>>> > >>>> I know the R community seems to kind of enjoy the occasional > >>>> snarkiness on the main list by certain posters, and I've certainly > >>>> been around the 'Net long enough to have developed a thick enough skin > >>>> myself, but for new users it may be a bit intimidating. Maybe an > >>>> 'R-Novice' or 'R-Tutor' list would open up an intermediate ground for > >>>> beginners and reduce the 'pollution' of the R-Teaching list? > >>>> > >>> It's a topic that's been discussed many times before on R-help, with > >>> the usual outcome being some feeling that it would lower the quality > >>> of responses that newbies get. I'm not sure it's an argument I buy, > >>> but if you want to raise the topic again, I can certainly promise to > >>> be active (enough) on R-Tutor. > >>> > >>> There might also be some value in thinking of an R-Statistics list > >>> (though under a much better name) where statistical questions are fair > >>> game -- it's always seemed odd to me that data munging is a fair topic > >>> on the various R lists, while data analysis isn't. > >>> > >>> Just throwing it out there, > >>> > >>> MW > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> [email protected] mailing list > >>> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-teaching > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> [email protected] mailing list > >> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-teaching > >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > > [email protected] mailing list > > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-teaching > > _______________________________________________ > [email protected] mailing list > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-teaching > > -------> First-time AP Stats. teacher? Help is on the way! See http://courses.ncssm.edu/math/Stat_Inst/Stats2007/Bob%20Hayden/Relief.html _ | | Robert W. Hayden | | 142 Main Street / | Apartment 104 | | Jaffrey, New Hampshire 03452 USA | | email: bob@ the site below / | website: http://statland.org | x / phone: (603) 532-7224 (home) '''''' _______________________________________________ [email protected] mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-sig-teaching
