Customer comments on this selection.
 Dense
This book is dense, yet it has a lot of high-level information that I could not find easily anywhere else. This is basically a programming reference for those who have experience in R and probably in some other programming language. For example, the information on loops (for, while, repeat) and their endings (next, break) is found on one page. I basically knew what these terms did from C++ and from prior use in R, but the page had all the extra detail that I had wanted to know. The section on functions is much longer but similarly pithy. At times, I wish there was more detail about easier stuff, but I'm thankful that the advanced/esoteric information is well explained. This book is a life-saver for me.
Very good book for R and S people
This is an excellent book for people who want to know R and S in deep. If anyone who just wants to use R/S+ packages(functions) this book probably is not good for introduction level. However, if you would like to know how to create or write your own functions this is a very good book. This book fills lots of pitfalls that readers might ignore.
I only wish authors could publish the 2nd edition soon.
I don't understand these low reviews
No one has ever claimed that this is an introductory text, so those low reviews confuse me. If you want to use R or S+ to run existing models (which is fine: the existing models in R are great), then don't buy this book. If you need to program something new and even moderately general, though, you need this book. I'm unaware of any other sources that cover this material well and concisely.
 you may be served better by other books
Much of the text appears as if the authors wanted to put information on paper and get it published, without regard to the readability or clarity of the text. The information in this text is largely good information. I have used a lot of it. However, you can get most of the same information elsewhere without having to "read between the lines" (and without all those damned footnotes!!). For example, a MUCH better and more comprehensive book is Programming with Data: A Guide to the S Language (1998) by Chambers (Springer): Chambers defines terms before using them, illustrates concepts with simple examples before moving to complex examples, and gives overviews of ideas prior to more extensive chapters. All of that is routinely missing in Venables and Ripley (V&R). Thus, even if you buy V&R to learn more about programming in S, it almost cannot be your sole reference, which is unfortunate and misleading given its title.
Almost vital for those writing their own extensions
As stated in the book's Editorial review, the back cover, and other customer reviews, this book is *not an introductory book*. If you need that, check out Modern Applied Statistics with S-Plus (same authors). However, if you're familiar with an S dialact (R, S-Plus), and are writing your own functions, packages, etc., this book will save you from Great Anguish.It presents the ideas behind S; the engine under it all. In doing so, it is very good at shifting your thinking from S usage to S programming - thinking "close to the machine". It also walks you past the common traps, pointing out the "gotchas" along the way. It's not a big book; around 260 pages for a very big subject. It is, however, very clear and far-reaching. I can only think of one other book that puts as much clear information into such a small space; Kernighan and Ritchie's "The C Programming Language". On the whole, a very useful, very carefully written book.
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