The R programming language "is sometimes frowned upon by 'traditional' software engineers," says the CEO of software quality services vendor Tiobe, "due to its unconventional syntax and limited scalability for large production systems." But he says it "continues to thrive at universities and in research-driven industries, and "for domain experts, it remains a powerful and elegant tool."
Yet it's now gaining more popularity as statistics and large-scale data visualization become important (a trend he also sees reflected in the rise of Wolfram/Mathematica). That's according to December's edition of his TIOBE Index, which attempts to rank the popularity of programming languages based on search-engine results for courses, third-party vendors, and skilled engineers. InfoWorld explains:
In the December 2025 index, published December 7, R ranks 10th with a 1.96% rating. R has cracked the Tiobe index's top 10 before, such as in April 2020 and July 2020, but not in recent years. The rival Pypl Popularity of Programming Language Index, meanwhile, has R ranked fifth this month with a 5.84% share. "Programming language R is known for fitting statisticians and data scientists like a glove," said Paul Jansen, CEO of software quality services vendor Tiobe, in a bulletin accompanying the December index...
Although data science rival Python has eclipsed R in terms of general adoption, Jansen said R has carved out a solid and enduring niche, excelling at rapid experimentation, statistical modeling, and exploratory data analysis. "We have seen many Tiobe index top 10 entrants rising and falling," Jansen wrote. "It will be interesting to see whether R can maintain its current position."
"Python remains ahead at 23.64%," notes TechRepublic, "while the familiar chase group behind it holds steady for the moment. The real movement comes deeper in the list, where SQL edges upward, R rises to the top 10, and Delphi/Object Pascal slips away... SQLclimbs from tenth to eighth at 2.10%, adding a small +0.11% that's enough to move it upward in a tightly packed section of the table. Perl holds ninth at 1.97%, strengthened by a +1.33% gain that extends its late-year resurgence."
It's interesting to see how TIOBE's ranking compare with PYPL's (which ranks languages based solely on how often language tutorials are searched on Google):
TIOBE PYPL
Python Python
C C/C++
C++ Objective-C
Java Java
C# R
JavaScript JavaScript
Visual Basic Swift
SQL C#
Perl PHP
R Rust
Despite their different methodologies, both lists put Python at #1, Java at #5, and JavaScript at #7.
Yet it's now gaining more popularity as statistics and large-scale data visualization become important (a trend he also sees reflected in the rise of Wolfram/Mathematica). That's according to December's edition of his TIOBE Index, which attempts to rank the popularity of programming languages based on search-engine results for courses, third-party vendors, and skilled engineers. InfoWorld explains:
In the December 2025 index, published December 7, R ranks 10th with a 1.96% rating. R has cracked the Tiobe index's top 10 before, such as in April 2020 and July 2020, but not in recent years. The rival Pypl Popularity of Programming Language Index, meanwhile, has R ranked fifth this month with a 5.84% share. "Programming language R is known for fitting statisticians and data scientists like a glove," said Paul Jansen, CEO of software quality services vendor Tiobe, in a bulletin accompanying the December index...
Although data science rival Python has eclipsed R in terms of general adoption, Jansen said R has carved out a solid and enduring niche, excelling at rapid experimentation, statistical modeling, and exploratory data analysis. "We have seen many Tiobe index top 10 entrants rising and falling," Jansen wrote. "It will be interesting to see whether R can maintain its current position."
"Python remains ahead at 23.64%," notes TechRepublic, "while the familiar chase group behind it holds steady for the moment. The real movement comes deeper in the list, where SQL edges upward, R rises to the top 10, and Delphi/Object Pascal slips away... SQLclimbs from tenth to eighth at 2.10%, adding a small +0.11% that's enough to move it upward in a tightly packed section of the table. Perl holds ninth at 1.97%, strengthened by a +1.33% gain that extends its late-year resurgence."
It's interesting to see how TIOBE's ranking compare with PYPL's (which ranks languages based solely on how often language tutorials are searched on Google):
TIOBE PYPL
Python Python
C C/C++
C++ Objective-C
Java Java
C# R
JavaScript JavaScript
Visual Basic Swift
SQL C#
Perl PHP
R Rust
Despite their different methodologies, both lists put Python at #1, Java at #5, and JavaScript at #7.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
This week System76 launched the first stable release of its Rust-based COSMIC desktop environment, reports 9to5Linux.
Announced in 2021, it's designed for all GNU/Linux distributions — and it shipping with Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS (based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS):
Previous Pop!_OS releases used a version of the COSMIC desktop that was based on the GNOME desktop environment. However, System76 wanted to create a new desktop environment from scratch while keeping the same familiar interface and user experience built for efficiency and fun. This means that some GNOME apps have been replaced by COSMIC apps, including COSMIC Files instead of Nautilus (Files), COSMIC Terminal instead of GNOME Terminal, COSMIC Text Editor instead of GNOME Text Editor, and COSMIC Media Player instead of Totem (Video Player).
Also, the Pop!_Shop graphical package manager used in previous Pop!_OS releases has now been replaced by a new app called COSMIC Store.
"If you're ambitious enough, or maybe just crazy enough, there eventually comes a time when you realize you've reached the limits of current potential, and must create something completely new if you're to go further..." explains System76 founder/CEO Carl Richell:
For twenty years we have shipped Linux computers. For seven years we've built the Pop!_OS Linux distribution. Three years ago it became clear we had reached the limit of our current potential and had to create something new. Today, we break through that limit with the release of Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS with the COSMIC Desktop Environment.
Today is special not only in that it's the culmination of over three years of work, but even more so in that System76 has built a complete desktop environment for the open source community...
I hope you love what we've built for you. Now go out there and create. Push the limits, make incredible things, and have fun doing it!
Announced in 2021, it's designed for all GNU/Linux distributions — and it shipping with Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS (based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS):
Previous Pop!_OS releases used a version of the COSMIC desktop that was based on the GNOME desktop environment. However, System76 wanted to create a new desktop environment from scratch while keeping the same familiar interface and user experience built for efficiency and fun. This means that some GNOME apps have been replaced by COSMIC apps, including COSMIC Files instead of Nautilus (Files), COSMIC Terminal instead of GNOME Terminal, COSMIC Text Editor instead of GNOME Text Editor, and COSMIC Media Player instead of Totem (Video Player).
Also, the Pop!_Shop graphical package manager used in previous Pop!_OS releases has now been replaced by a new app called COSMIC Store.
"If you're ambitious enough, or maybe just crazy enough, there eventually comes a time when you realize you've reached the limits of current potential, and must create something completely new if you're to go further..." explains System76 founder/CEO Carl Richell:
For twenty years we have shipped Linux computers. For seven years we've built the Pop!_OS Linux distribution. Three years ago it became clear we had reached the limit of our current potential and had to create something new. Today, we break through that limit with the release of Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS with the COSMIC Desktop Environment.
Today is special not only in that it's the culmination of over three years of work, but even more so in that System76 has built a complete desktop environment for the open source community...
I hope you love what we've built for you. Now go out there and create. Push the limits, make incredible things, and have fun doing it!
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
This week the Free Software Foundation honored Andy Wingo, Alx Sa, and Govdirectory with this year's annual Free Software Awards (given to community members and groups making
"significant" contributions to software freedom):
Andy Wingo is one of the co-maintainers of GNU Guile,
the official extension language of the GNU operating system and the
Scheme "backbone" of GNU
Guix. Upon receiving the award, he stated: "Since I learned
about free software, the vision of a world in which hackers freely
share and build on each others' work has been a profound inspiration
to me, and I am humbled by this recognition of my small efforts in
the context of the Guile Scheme implementation. I thank my
co-maintainer, Ludovic Courtès, for his comradery over the years: we
are just building on the work of the past maintainers of Guile, and I
hope that we live long enough to congratulate its many future
maintainers."
The 2024 Award for
Outstanding New Free
Software Contributor went to Alx Sa for work on the GNU
Image Manipulation Program (GIMP). When asked to comment, Alx
responded: "I am honored to receive this recognition! I started
contributing to the GNU Image Manipulation Program as a way to return
the favor because of all the cool things it's allowed me to do.
Thanks to the help and mentorship of amazing people like Jehan Pagès,
Jacob Boerema, Liam Quin, and so many others, I hope I've been able
to help other people do some cool new things, too."
Govdirectory was presented
with this year's Award
for Projects of Social Benefit, given to a project or team
responsible for applying free software, or the ideas of the free
software movement, to intentionally and significantly benefit
society. Govdirectory provides a collaborative and fact-checked
listing of government addresses, phone numbers, websites, and social
media accounts, all of which can be viewed with free software and
under a free license, allowing people to always reach their
representatives in freedom...
The FSF plans to further highlight the Free Software Award winners
in a series of events scheduled for the new year to celebrate their
contributions to free software.
"significant" contributions to software freedom):
Andy Wingo is one of the co-maintainers of GNU Guile,
the official extension language of the GNU operating system and the
Scheme "backbone" of GNU
Guix. Upon receiving the award, he stated: "Since I learned
about free software, the vision of a world in which hackers freely
share and build on each others' work has been a profound inspiration
to me, and I am humbled by this recognition of my small efforts in
the context of the Guile Scheme implementation. I thank my
co-maintainer, Ludovic Courtès, for his comradery over the years: we
are just building on the work of the past maintainers of Guile, and I
hope that we live long enough to congratulate its many future
maintainers."
The 2024 Award for
Outstanding New Free
Software Contributor went to Alx Sa for work on the GNU
Image Manipulation Program (GIMP). When asked to comment, Alx
responded: "I am honored to receive this recognition! I started
contributing to the GNU Image Manipulation Program as a way to return
the favor because of all the cool things it's allowed me to do.
Thanks to the help and mentorship of amazing people like Jehan Pagès,
Jacob Boerema, Liam Quin, and so many others, I hope I've been able
to help other people do some cool new things, too."
Govdirectory was presented
with this year's Award
for Projects of Social Benefit, given to a project or team
responsible for applying free software, or the ideas of the free
software movement, to intentionally and significantly benefit
society. Govdirectory provides a collaborative and fact-checked
listing of government addresses, phone numbers, websites, and social
media accounts, all of which can be viewed with free software and
under a free license, allowing people to always reach their
representatives in freedom...
The FSF plans to further highlight the Free Software Award winners
in a series of events scheduled for the new year to celebrate their
contributions to free software.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
DanÅke Carlsson has added a photo to the pool:
DanÅke Carlsson posted a photo:
Thomas Hawk posted a photo:
niggyl :) has added a photo to the pool:
Mount Sorell (1144m) behind Gould Point from Macquarie Harbour. West coast, Tasmania.
Fuji X-T5, Fuji XC 50-230mm f/4.5-6.7 OIS, 1/1,1500th sec at f/6.7, ISO 200 ~230mm
De tachtigjarige Irene Winkel, de ”moeder van de flat” in Amsterdam waar ze woonde, werd dood gevonden na een confrontatie met een nepagent.
:format(jpeg):fill(f8f8f8,true)/s3/static.nrc.nl/podcasts/wp-content/blogs.dir/131/files/2020/11/nrcpodcastfeatured-image1280x768v01vandaag.png)
Drawing on paper and in sketchbooks