hunterratliff1

So perhaps we ought be working on building solutions that bridge the Python-R gap? Because as someone who has effectively left Python, I'd love to learn from solutions Python users find effective. After all, it's not like one language is the sole proprietor of useful approaches (;

This is a very valid point that I feel we often overlook. Most folks don't think like a statistician, and over-complicating figures is the best way to render them useless. All is lost if your audience can't understand what you're trying to convey (:

If you're new to R, I'd highly recommend learning everything using Hadley Wickham's packages. When I was first getting started I had the same problem, and IMO Hadley's solutions offer the best maintainability. Especially with how quickly R is growing, the time that Hadley has invested in teaching makes me believe that his approach will continue to be one of the guiding influences for the future of the language. Just my two cents though!