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by jzwinck 3820 days ago
Almost all of what you said applies equally to Python when using NumPy, Pandas, and SciPy.

In R, a Factor is also the bizarre result you get if you load a flat file incorrectly. Lots of things in R proceed without stopping on errors, and you end up with weird data that isn't really usable but still lets your program continue.
4 comments
nipun_batra 3820 days ago
Language wars again :) I think both languages have their own strengths. I come from a programming background and took to Python. However, I often come up in situations when there are R implementations to some advanced statistical routines and none exist for Python. I'm sure vice versa would also be true. So, this is an attempt from that angle :)
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bachmeier 3820 days ago
> Lots of things in R proceed without stopping on errors

I'm not sure what that means, because a default R installation will always stop on an error.

> a Factor is also the bizarre result you get if you load a flat file incorrectly

That's user error. No programming language can catch that - it can only detect errors that are defined as errors.

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jzwinck 3820 days ago
I am curious to know your opinion about this discussion, then: http://r.789695.n4.nabble.com/Stopping-all-code-execution-wh...

People using default R installations report that special commands are needed to make it stop on all errors. Are they delusional? What about the R experts who give them solutions, are they doling out placebos?

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grayclhn 3820 days ago
The poster in that thread was doing the equivalent of stepping line by line through a block of code manually, ignoring all of the errors and manually executing the next line anyway.
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lottin 3820 days ago
It's true, however NumPy, Pandas, and SciPy are external libraries. I think it's a slight disadvantage. In R all these fancy data structures are built into the language and are used everywhere in a natural way. Whereas Numpy feels a little bit like an appendage or like a language inside a language. That said I don't dislike Python/Numpy and I think it definitely has its uses.
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amelius 3820 days ago
> Lots of things in R proceed without stopping on errors

This alone would make me run away very fast from R.

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Fomite 3820 days ago
The problem is it's not actually an error. The quoted bit is using "error" to mean "R did something I wish it hadn't."
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IndianAstronaut 3819 days ago
R is still great. Just don't try and write anything production worthy in R.
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