In a way, R to statistics is something like Matlab to signal processing: It is an excellent environment for developing the methodology, but not always perfect for software distribution. For instance, it is not certain how much of LSST pipeline can be based on R code.
While R is originally designed just for development and testing of statistical methods, many use it also for software distribution, rather than using a programming language that is more suitable for developing software for distribution (e.g., C++). Therefore, while promoting R in astroinformatics surely has value, it should be done with care so that the methods can be of actual use also to audience of astronomers outside the astrostatistics community. Thanks
johnnyhenderson replied
405 weeks ago