# computing

**URL:** https://discourse.datamethods.org/c/computing/34.md

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## [About the computing category](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/about-the-computing-category/57)

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**Author:** [@f2harrell](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/f2harrell)\
**Replies:** 0

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Statistical computing, big data systems, general database systems, web applications

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## [Reanalyzing MERIT design using Julia + recent numerical algorithms](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/reanalyzing-merit-design-using-julia-recent-numerical-algorithms/27822)

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**Author:** [@davidcnorrismd](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/davidcnorrismd)\
**Replies:** 5\
**Last updated:** [August 11, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/reanalyzing-merit-design-using-julia-recent-numerical-algorithms/27822 "2026-08-11T17:47:44Z")

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Here’s an interesting case of a paper that made it through peer review at Statistics in Medicine despite using Monte Carlo estimation without regard to its inherent error. An extensive tabulation and simulation study wer…

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## [What became of Ihaka & Temple Lang's (2008) "Back to the Future"?](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/what-became-of-ihaka-temple-langs-2008-back-to-the-future/28715)

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**Author:** [@davidcnorrismd](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/davidcnorrismd)\
**Replies:** 4\
**Last updated:** [April 23, 2026, 1:36pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/what-became-of-ihaka-temple-langs-2008-back-to-the-future/28715 "2026-04-23T13:36:34Z")

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Ross Ihaka and Duncan Temple Lang’s 2008 conference paper \[1\] (PDF) came to my attention via About Lisp-Stat | Lisp-Stat, and I wonder what happened leading to the (apparent?) abandonment of this idea. Does anybody know? …

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## [Quickr -- a R to Fortran source to source compiler](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/quickr-a-r-to-fortran-source-to-source-compiler/28543)

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**Author:** [@R\_cubed](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/R_cubed)\
**Replies:** 3\
**Last updated:** [November 30, 2025, 4:17pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/quickr-a-r-to-fortran-source-to-source-compiler/28543 "2025-11-30T16:17:57Z")

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It is far from unusual to find computational speed a limiting factor in some types of data analysis. The development of higher level languages with features like automatic memory management have made programming more ac…

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## [R vs. Python in academia](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/r-vs-python-in-academia/21581)

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**Author:** [@jarbet](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/jarbet)\
**Replies:** 9\
**Last updated:** [October 22, 2024, 1:39pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/r-vs-python-in-academia/21581 "2024-10-22T13:39:40Z")

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Hi everyone, I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the importance of learning Python in academic biostatistics or closely related fields (e.g., statistics, bioinformatics, data science). Background: I’ve been using R …

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## [Bayesian Regression Modeling Strategies](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/bayesian-regression-modeling-strategies/6105)

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**Author:** [@f2harrell](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/f2harrell)\
**Replies:** 94\
**Last updated:** [September 23, 2024, 2:29pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/bayesian-regression-modeling-strategies/6105 "2024-09-23T14:29:45Z")

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This is the place for questions and answers regarding the R rmsb package. Earlier questions may be found here.

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## [Tools for exploratory development of databases?](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/tools-for-exploratory-development-of-databases/10705)

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**Author:** [@davidcnorrismd](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/davidcnorrismd)\
**Replies:** 2\
**Last updated:** [May 2, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/tools-for-exploratory-development-of-databases/10705 "2024-05-02T16:21:27Z")

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For data sets of any (relational) complexity I have generally been in the habit of using a full-featured database engine (usu., Postgres) to develop a highly normalized schema, and impose lots of integrity constraints. B…

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## [R package to present summary results from many different mixed effects models](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/r-package-to-present-summary-results-from-many-different-mixed-effects-models/6296)

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**Author:** [@Sudhi\_Upadhyaya](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/Sudhi_Upadhyaya)\
**Replies:** 3\
**Last updated:** [December 28, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/r-package-to-present-summary-results-from-many-different-mixed-effects-models/6296 "2022-12-28T18:02:38Z")

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Hi all, I am running many different mixed effects models. The set of predictor variables are the same. The data subset is different. I am wondering if there are any r libraries that will allow me to display the results …

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## [Advice on the Standardization of statistical libraries for general purpose languages needed](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/advice-on-the-standardization-of-statistical-libraries-for-general-purpose-languages-needed/4566)

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**Author:** [@R\_cubed](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/R_cubed)\
**Replies:** 0\
**Last updated:** [June 27, 2021, 3:29pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/advice-on-the-standardization-of-statistical-libraries-for-general-purpose-languages-needed/4566 "2021-06-27T15:29:43Z")

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After reading a large number of articles in a number of areas related to statistics – a typical theme arises where the authors lament that statistical analyses are suboptimal because of the limitations of the tools avail…

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## [How to create the real splines values for the rcs and %ia% functions in the rms package?](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/how-to-create-the-real-splines-values-for-the-rcs-and-ia-functions-in-the-rms-package/4173)

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**Author:** [@maikol-solis](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/maikol-solis)\
**Replies:** 4\
**Last updated:** [March 14, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/how-to-create-the-real-splines-values-for-the-rcs-and-ia-functions-in-the-rms-package/4173 "2021-03-14T16:26:47Z")

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Hi everyone! I have a very basic question but I maybe you could help me. Suppose you have two random variables X1 \<- rnorm(1000) X2 \<- rnorm(1000) and I want to estimate the 3 knot restricted cubic spline for each on…

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## [How to get the unstable variable selection profile of stepwise and lasso during bootstrap?](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/how-to-get-the-unstable-variable-selection-profile-of-stepwise-and-lasso-during-bootstrap/3194)

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**Author:** [@Orson](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/Orson)\
**Replies:** 5\
**Last updated:** [April 12, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/how-to-get-the-unstable-variable-selection-profile-of-stepwise-and-lasso-during-bootstrap/3194 "2020-04-12T14:52:44Z")

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I hope to get some R examples on showing the frequency of each candidate factor being selected by backward stepwise and lasso during bootstrap. I know in rms::validate function with backward method, the print can show “…

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## [Lrm function error: Error in if (x) { : argument is not interpretable as logical](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/lrm-function-error-error-in-if-x-argument-is-not-interpretable-as-logical/3089)

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**Author:** [@Liang\_Hong](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/Liang_Hong)\
**Replies:** 1\
**Last updated:** [March 13, 2020, 12:21pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/lrm-function-error-error-in-if-x-argument-is-not-interpretable-as-logical/3089 "2020-03-13T12:21:12Z")

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I have a logistic model, and I want to plot a nomogram using the rms package. But when a use the same formula with the lrm function it throws an error: Error in if (x) { : argument is not interpretable as logical I…

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## [Using R for epidemiology stats](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/using-r-for-epidemiology-stats/2865)

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**Author:** [@Keno\_Mentor](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/Keno_Mentor)\
**Replies:** 4\
**Last updated:** [January 14, 2020, 8:24am UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/using-r-for-epidemiology-stats/2865 "2020-01-14T08:24:44Z")

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So I’m doing a meta-analysis for the first time and I’m trying to get through some new (to me) statistical techniques using R. To test whether I’m used the code correctly, I’ve been using a few of the studies absolute da…

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## [Software for Bayesian data analysis](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/software-for-bayesian-data-analysis/2609)

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**Author:** [@EpiLearneR](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/EpiLearneR)\
**Replies:** 8\
**Last updated:** [October 30, 2019, 9:54am UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/software-for-bayesian-data-analysis/2609 "2019-10-30T09:54:41Z")

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I was having a discussion with a statistician today. Both of us would like to go Bayesian. Kindly guide us regarding software like Stan or bugs or jagg, best resources for practical approach. And how to fix the prior. I …

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## [Analysing large registry databases and "insufficient memory"](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/analysing-large-registry-databases-and-insufficient-memory/2502)

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**Author:** [@pau13rown](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/pau13rown)\
**Replies:** 12\
**Last updated:** [October 10, 2019, 10:21am UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/analysing-large-registry-databases-and-insufficient-memory/2502 "2019-10-10T10:21:44Z")

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the task: analysing patient registry data (millions of patients) the problem: the data are so large that the stats software complains of “insufficient” memory when attempting to fit ‘complex’ models (i’ll leave out the …

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## [Analysis QA - Best practices?](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/analysis-qa-best-practices/709)

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**Author:** [@timdisher](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/timdisher)\
**Replies:** 22\
**Last updated:** [May 15, 2019, 12:41pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/analysis-qa-best-practices/709 "2019-05-15T12:41:53Z")

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I am in a nursing PhD and am pretty much self-taught on the analysis front outside of our (very general) graduate level stats course. I am very interested in the “secret curriculum” that comes along with formal training …

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## [Standards/guideline for data handling](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/standards-guideline-for-data-handling/1620)

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**Author:** [@PaulBrownPhD](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/PaulBrownPhD)\
**Replies:** 9\
**Last updated:** [April 29, 2019, 11:00pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/standards-guideline-for-data-handling/1620 "2019-04-29T23:00:55Z")

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has anyone developed a standard operating procedure or guideline for handling data at their ARO that they could share? Or maybe you have particular advice. I’m currently developing a guideline for ensuring data integrity…

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## [How To Do Predictive Statistics: New (Free) Software](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/how-to-do-predictive-statistics-new-free-software/158)

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**Author:** [@mattstat](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/mattstat)\
**Replies:** 0\
**Last updated:** [July 23, 2018, 11:29pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/how-to-do-predictive-statistics-new-free-software/158 "2018-07-23T23:29:21Z")

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Time to leave hypothesis testing and parameter-based methods behind, and move to what we’ve always wanted. Which is a proper understanding of uncertainty. I’ve uploaded some new software, thus far only based on MCMCpack…