Computing Access

R/RStudio

I expect you to use RStudio to run R in this course. You have two options for using RStudio:

Server version

We have a Carleton server hosting Rstudio at https://maize.mathcs.carleton.edu/. Your files on this account will be accessible as long as you are a student at Carleton. Use your Carleton credentials to access your account and you need to be running the Carleton VPN (below) to access this server. Use this option if

  • your personal computer is old and/or slow
  • you prefer to use school computers (lab or library computers)

A local version of RStudio installed on your machine

You can also run R/RStudio from your personal computer. If you use a local version of R/RStudio this term, make sure that you have recently updated both R and RStudio.

To check your version of R, run the command getRversion() and compare your version to the newest version posted on https://cran.r-project.org/. If you need an update, then install the newer version using the installation directions above.

In RStudio, check for updates with the menu option Help > Check for updates. Follow directions if an update is needed.

For a fresh download:

Use the default download and install options for each. For R, download the “precompiled binary” distribution rather than the source code.

VPN

If you plan to use the maize server and you plan to do any work off campus this term (e.g., while on a field trip, travel for athletics, or just sitting in Little Joy) you need to install Carleton’s VPN to have access.

To install the GlobalProtect VPN follow directions provided by ITS.

Git and GitHub

Git is version control software that you install locally on your computer. Git is already installed on the maize RStudio server.

Github is a cloud-based service for hosting git projects. It allows multiple users to share and contribute to projects and it is how you will be submitting homework assignments and projects for this class. More information about Github for this class is found on Moodle.

If you are using a local install of R/RStudio, then you will need to install Git.

Installing Git

Directions for both Windows & Mac here at http://happygitwithr.com/install-git.html.

  • If you are using maize, then there is nothing you need to install.

  • Windows users should follow Option 1 in 6.2.

  • Mac users can follow Option 1 in 6.3 if comfortable, otherwise follow Option 2

  • Linux users can follow 6.4.

LaTeX

You need a LaTeX compiler to create a pdf document from a R Markdown file. If you use the maize server, you don’t need to install anything (the server already has a LaTeX compiler). If you are using a local RStudio, you should install a Latex compiler.

Installing LaTeX (not needed if you are using the maize server)

If you don’t already have a tex package installed on your computer, the easiest option to create pdf’s is to use the tinytex R package. This can be installed with the following R commands:

install.packages("tinytex")
tinytex::install_tinytex()  # install TinyTeX

If you’d like a stand alone LaTeX package, you could install the basic installations of either:

Acknowledgements

This installation guide was written by Adam Loy and is based on the guide from stat545.com and is licensed under the CC BY-NC 3.0 Creative Commons License.