[R] application of R

[Jeff Newmiller]

Because many technical people need to accomplish statistical data analysis with computers that depend on existing algorithms applied in new ways, or with new algorithms that are not implemented by commercial software.  Often such people have no desire to provide step-by-step support of their tools for every user of their code indefinitely, so developing commercial software for others is less useful to them than having access to existing software that can be adapted. They often find that allowing others access to their code is a reasonable trade for being able to re-use the work of others before them. 

You might read the book "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" for more detail about this perspective, but this line of discussion is not really on topic here.
-- 
Sent from my phone. Please excuse my brevity.

On January 11, 2018 7:09:20 PM PST, muhammad ramzi <mramzi43 at gmail.com> wrote:
>Thank you very much this really helped me a lot . 
>So actually why would people learn R(other than personal interests ) if
>you can't really build anything that can be sold ? I'm sorry if I'm
>asking bad questions 
>
>
>> On 12 Jan 2018, at 4:43 AM, Marc Schwartz <marc_schwartz at me.com>
>wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Jan 11, 2018, at 2:15 PM, muhammad ramzi <mramzi43 at gmail.com>
>wrote:
>>> 
>>> hello guys,
>>> 
>>> i am a petroleum engineering student and i will be having a long
>semester
>>> break and currently i am learning THE R PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE just
>out of
>>> interest. I would just like to know if i am able to design a
>business
>>> analysis software using R as in create a type of software that can
>be sold
>>> to business people. can this be done in R language?
>>> 
>>> another thing is if i do learn this all the way, what advantages
>will it
>>> give me in terms of future prospects and career development?
>> 
>> 
>> Hi,
>> 
>> To your first question, as R is open source and released under the
>GPL, there are legal issues that you will need to consider, which will
>be specific to the details of your plans, how your "application" is
>built, how it interacts with R, and importantly, the copying and
>distribution of the end product.
>> 
>> You should, first and foremost, contact a lawyer familiar with open
>source software, specifically GPL compatible licenses, so that you can
>get proper legal advice, which you will not get here. You risk
>legal/financial liabilities down the road if not done in compliance
>with the license requirements.
>> 
>> As a first pass, you should read:
>> 
>> 
>https://cran.r-project.org/doc/FAQ/R-FAQ.html#Can-I-use-R-for-commercial-purposes_003f
>> 
>> and
>> 
>>  https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0-faq.html
>> 
>> so that you can gain initial insights into some of the general
>implications of building a product for distribution (whether you give
>it away or sell it) that depends upon a GPL licensed application. 
>> 
>> Whether or not there is utility for the application you envision such
>that people would be willing to pay for it, will depend upon a variety
>of factors, not the least of which is what competition you face and the
>value of your planned application over others that are already in the
>marketplace.
>> 
>> To your second question, you are asking a biased, self selected
>audience. Thus, take that into account for any responses that you may
>get.
>> 
>> The responses relative to advantages are going to be, to some extent,
>broadly industry specific. That being said, in many domains, knowing R,
>along with other relevant applications and programming languages can
>only be beneficial in many cases.
>> 
>> R is becoming increasingly popular (e.g. see:
>https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/). However, depending upon the
>subject matter domain you will work in and to a large extent, the
>company or institution you will work for, those factors can have a
>material influence on the role that R might play in that environment.
>> 
>> Others can perhaps chime in with other thoughts and perhaps even
>industry specific insights for you.
>> 
>> Regards,
>> 
>> Marc Schwartz
>> 
>
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