There is nothing to stop you using these names, you just need to be aware that you would be hiding the base definitions. Though these could always be accessed using the double colon operator, e.g. base::subset, you might indeed get very unexpected results if some function called subset() expecting the default but found yours instead.
I rather like the behaviour of S-Plus here - it warns you when you are masking something. But in R we are all grown-ups and expected to fend for ourselves. I frequently type a name at a blank prompt to check whether it already exists before assigning to it (there are much more beautiful ways, but this is quickest). I wouldn't worry overmuch about the explosion in the number of packages and their multiple use of same names. There is seldom a need to load more than a couple of packages at any one time. Besides, package writers tend to use peculiar names for internal functions precisely to reduce the potential problem. > -----Original Message----- > From: Wolski [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 21 November 2003 15:03 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [R] method names conflict. > > > Security Warning: > If you are not sure an attachment is safe to open please contact > Andy on x234. There are 0 attachments with this message. > ________________________________________________________________ > > Hi! > > I would like to give my objects functions like "subset", > "union", et cetera and name it also in this way. > But this functions names are already used in the base package > and they are not generic. > I am right in that if they would be generic then i still can > use the neat names with my objects? > I have the impression that there are more and more packages > are going to be developed. How this is going to be handled in future? > > Eryk. > > Dipl. bio-chem. Eryk Witold Wolski @ MPI-MG Dep. > Vertebrate Genomics > Ihnestrasse 73 14195 Berlin 'v' > tel: 0049-30-84131285 / \ > mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---W-W---- > > > [[alternative HTML version deleted]] > > ______________________________________________ > [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list > https://www.stat.math.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > Simon Fear Senior Statistician Syne qua non Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1379 644449 Fax: +44 (0) 1379 644445 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: http://www.synequanon.com Number of attachments included with this message: 0 This message (and any associated files) is confidential and\...{{dropped}} ______________________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list https://www.stat.math.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help