Revolutions: MRAN Time Machine to be Retired on July 1

Revolutions: MRAN Time Machine to be Retired on July 1

Introduction:

Starting from July 1, 2023, the MRAN website and the CRAN snapshot archive hosted within will no longer be available, according to a recent announcement by Microsoft. This retirement comes after the discontinuation of Microsoft R Open in 2021, which was one of the main purposes of MRAN. Since 2014, MRAN has also served as the repository for a daily archive of CRAN packages. R users who have been using these static CRAN snapshots as their default CRAN repository for R scripts will need to find or create a new source of the package archive before MRAN’s retirement. The blog post linked below recommends using the miniCRAN package or exploring other options like the Posit Package Manager. For more information, visit the Microsoft Community Hub.

Full Article: Revolutions: MRAN Time Machine to be Retired on July 1

# Microsoft Retiring MRAN Website and CRAN Snapshot Archive

Microsoft announced last week that on July 1, 2023, the MRAN website and the CRAN snapshot archive hosted on it will be retired. This decision comes after the discontinuation of Microsoft R Open in 2021, which was one of the main purposes of MRAN. Additionally, since 2014, the MRAN website has served as the repository of a daily archive of CRAN packages.

## Impact on R Users

Some R users may still be relying on these static CRAN snapshots as their default CRAN repository for R scripts. They might be accessing it directly or through the checkpoint package or older images of the rocker/r-ver container. If you are one of these users, it is important to note that you will need to find or create a new source for the package archive before MRAN’s retirement.

## Alternative Solutions

To address this issue, Microsoft recommends using the miniCRAN package to download and save the package archives. This process is detailed on Microsoft Learn, where you can find step-by-step instructions. Commercial users of RStudio may also consider exploring the Posit Package Manager, a product from the creators of RStudio, as an alternative solution.

## Conclusion

The retirement of the MRAN website and the CRAN snapshot archive hosted therein poses a challenge for R users who have been relying on it. Microsoft’s decision to discontinue these services emphasizes the need for users to transition to alternative solutions, such as miniCRAN or the Posit Package Manager. By following the recommended steps, users can ensure a smooth transition and continue their work without interruption. For more information on the retirement of the Microsoft R Application Network, please visit the Microsoft Community Hub.

Summary: Revolutions: MRAN Time Machine to be Retired on July 1

On July 1, 2023, Microsoft announced the retirement of the MRAN website and the CRAN snapshot archive. MRAN was known for distributing Microsoft R Open, which was discontinued in 2021. It also served as the repository for a daily archive of CRAN packages since 2014. R users who still rely on these static CRAN snapshots will need to find or create a new source for the package archive before MRAN’s retirement. One recommended solution is to use the miniCRAN package to download and save the package archives. Commercial users of RStudio can also explore the Posit Package Manager product. For more information, visit the Microsoft Community Hub.

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