[ESS] ESS, install.packages() in R, and Windows

[Tim Hesterberg]

Henric Nilsson wrote on 12/19/07:
>I'm using Emacs 22.0.50.1 (CVS 2005-12-14), ESS 5.2.11 and R 2.2.0 under
>Windows 2000.
>
>If I do a `install.packages()', `packageStatus()' or something similar
>that spawns a window, the process just hangs. However, if I've
>"initialized" R first by e.g. `chooseCRANmirror(graphics = FALSE)' or
>`plot(0, 0)' everything works nicely.

This occurs for me too, on Windows, emacs 22.1.1, ess 5.3.6, R 2.6.1.
Both fixes work; the chooseCRANmirror uses menu() in the *R* buffer 
immediately, while giving plot() results in a non-emacs pop-up when
I call available.packages()

Also, the second time is a charm; in a new R session, if I do 
	temp <- available.packages()
the first time R hangs; I can exit this using C-c C-c.
If I try again in the same session it works; a non-emacs window pops
up with a list of mirrors.

The problem does not occur on Linux, emacs 21.3.1, ess 5.3.6, R 2.5.1.
In this case the list is presented using R's menu() command.
I undoubtedly have ess configured differently for linux than Windows,
can provide details on request.

Tim Hesterberg