paleobuddy
paleobuddy can now simulate trait-dependent diversification, not just birth-death.
Comparison · Analytics
lineup2 vs parallelDist
A side-by-side editorial comparison of lineup2 and parallelDist — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
lineup2 vs parallelDist: at a glance
What is lineup2?
lineup2 ships once every few years, and 2026's release is a logo and a core-count tweak.
lineup2 provides distance-based tools for detecting sample mix-ups between related datasets — comparing rows and columns of two matrices to find swapped or mislabeled samples. Its visible history is four releases spread across six years, and the capability surface has barely moved since plot_sample() and the propdiff distance arrived in 0.4. Version 0.8 in July 2026 adds a package logo and redefines cores=0 to mean all-but-one core.
What is parallelDist?
parallelDist is in pure preservation mode — one build fix every few years.
parallelDist computes distance matrices across threads in C++ via RcppParallel and Armadillo. The feature set has been settled since 0.2.3 in 2018, which added hamming distance and cosine similarity; everything after that is compatibility work. The most recent release, 0.2.7, exists only to drop a C++11 pin that newer Armadillo versions no longer tolerate.
lineup2 vs parallelDist: editorial side-by-side
lineup2
0.0ANALYTICS
lineup2 ships once every few years, and 2026's release is a logo and a core-count tweak.
◆ Current state
lineup2 provides distance-based tools for detecting sample mix-ups between related datasets — comparing rows and columns of two matrices to find swapped or mislabeled samples. Its visible history is four releases spread across six years, and the capability surface has barely moved since plot_sample() and the propdiff distance arrived in 0.4. Version 0.8 in July 2026 adds a package logo and redefines cores=0 to mean all-but-one core.
◆ Where it's heading
This is a finished, single-purpose package in maintenance. The substantive changes across the whole window are plotting conveniences and one parallelism default; nothing in the entries points at new distance measures, new input formats, or expanded scope. The release cadence — five years between 0.6 and 0.8 — reads as a tool the author considers done.
◆ Prediction
Further releases are likely to stay small: a plotting option, a parallelism detail, or a check-farm fix. The entries give no signal of planned feature work.
parallelDist
0.0ANALYTICS
parallelDist is in pure preservation mode — one build fix every few years.
◆ Current state
parallelDist computes distance matrices across threads in C++ via RcppParallel and Armadillo. The feature set has been settled since 0.2.3 in 2018, which added hamming distance and cosine similarity; everything after that is compatibility work. The most recent release, 0.2.7, exists only to drop a C++11 pin that newer Armadillo versions no longer tolerate.
◆ Where it's heading
The package is being kept installable, not developed. The three most recent releases are a toolchain pin removal, a DESCRIPTION field removal, and a coercion change inherited from proxy — none originate from user-facing intent. Gaps of three to four years between releases are the norm now, and each one is triggered by something upstream breaking rather than by a roadmap.
◆ Prediction
The next release will almost certainly be another compatibility fix timed to whatever Armadillo, Rcpp or CRAN check policy changes next. Nothing in the entries points to new distance measures or API work.
Alternatives to lineup2 and parallelDist
Other Analytics products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either lineup2 or parallelDist.
geodist
geodist stays dependency-free and fast, and warns you when 'cheap' distances stop being honest.
errors
errors keeps making uncertainty print the way each scientific field expects.
CMAQ
CMAQ went global in v5.5, and has been patching that surface ever since.
enpls
enpls has not changed its statistics since 2016 — only its website, twice.
grex
grex is a lookup table with a version number — it ships when the annotation moves.
See all lineup2 alternatives → · See all parallelDist alternatives →
Recent activity from lineup2 and parallelDist
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 1mo agolineup2cores=0 now leaves one core free
- 10mo agoparallelDistparallelDist 0.2.7 drops the C++11 pin for newer Armadillo
- 4y agoparallelDistparallelDist 0.2.6: LazyData removed, vignette font swapped
- 4y agoparallelDistparallelDist 0.2.5 changes cosine distance to 1-x
- 5y agolineup2plot_sample() gains xlim and ylim control
- 5y agolineup2plot_sample() and the propdiff distance added
- 5y agolineup2Package description revised for CRAN resubmission
- 7y agoparallelDistparallelDist 0.2.4 fixes the Solaris build
- 7y agoparallelDistparallelDist 0.2.3 adds hamming and cosine measures
- 7y agoparallelDistparallelDist 0.2.2
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between lineup2 and parallelDist?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. lineup2 and parallelDist are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 0.0 vs 0.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is lineup2 better than parallelDist?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. lineup2 and parallelDist are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 0.0 vs 0.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Analytics products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to lineup2?
Top lineup2 alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "lineup2 alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/lineup2-r for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to parallelDist?
Top parallelDist alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "parallelDist alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/paralleldist for the full list with editorial commentary on each.