tern.rbmi
Reference-based multiple imputation tables, shipping only what CRAN checks demand.
Comparison · Analytics
paleobuddy vs windex
A side-by-side editorial comparison of paleobuddy and windex — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Shared themes:phylogenetics
paleobuddy vs windex: at a glance
What is paleobuddy?
paleobuddy can now simulate trait-dependent diversification, not just birth-death.
paleobuddy simulates diversification, fossil records and phylogenetic trees, with rates that can be arbitrary functions of time — its founding idea, implemented through rexp.var() generalizing exponential and Weibull draws. The 1.1.0 release adds state-dependent speciation and extinction simulation at roughly MuHiSSE generality, and lets simulations stop at a target number of extant species instead of conditioning on time.
What is windex?
Steady, unglamorous upkeep on a niche phylogenetic adaptation index.
windex calculates the Wheatsheaf index for measuring adaptation in a phylogenetic comparative framework, with supporting simulation tests and node-distance tooling. Recent releases have loosened the input format requirements, improved troubleshooting in treedatacheck, and added a barplot for fitted logistic regression models. The package's analytic core is unchanged across the visible window.
paleobuddy vs windex: editorial side-by-side
paleobuddy
0.0ANALYTICS
paleobuddy can now simulate trait-dependent diversification, not just birth-death.
◆ Current state
paleobuddy simulates diversification, fossil records and phylogenetic trees, with rates that can be arbitrary functions of time — its founding idea, implemented through rexp.var() generalizing exponential and Weibull draws. The 1.1.0 release adds state-dependent speciation and extinction simulation at roughly MuHiSSE generality, and lets simulations stop at a target number of extant species instead of conditioning on time.
◆ Where it's heading
Releases track the maintainer's publications rather than a product cadence — 1.0.0 accompanied the MEE manuscript, 1.0.0.1 exists purely as a Zenodo citation anchor, and 1.1.0 is stated as going with a paper on SSE model accuracy for trees including fossil data. That framing sets the direction: the package grows whichever capability the next study needs to test. The stated SSE limits, no quantitative traits and no cladogenetic transitions, mark exactly where that boundary currently sits.
◆ Prediction
Quantitative traits and cladogenetic transitions are named as missing, which makes them the obvious next targets, though on this history the timing will follow a paper rather than a roadmap.
windex
0.0ANALYTICS
Steady, unglamorous upkeep on a niche phylogenetic adaptation index.
◆ Current state
windex calculates the Wheatsheaf index for measuring adaptation in a phylogenetic comparative framework, with supporting simulation tests and node-distance tooling. Recent releases have loosened the input format requirements, improved troubleshooting in treedatacheck, and added a barplot for fitted logistic regression models. The package's analytic core is unchanged across the visible window.
◆ Where it's heading
Every release in this window is a variation on the same theme: make existing functions easier to use and their plots easier to customise. Some releases exist only to satisfy CRAN policy changes with no functional difference. This is a stable single-purpose package where usability friction, not method development, drives the work.
◆ Prediction
Expect further small usability and plotting additions on the same roughly annual cadence; nothing here points to new methods.
Alternatives to paleobuddy and windex
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 paleobuddy or windex.
tern.mmrm
An MMRM tabulation package that has published nothing since its 2024 CRAN releases.
ggmagnify
A single-purpose ggplot2 inset tool, refining the same three arguments.
symengine
An R symbolic-maths binding whose changelog is really the C++ core's release notes.
gtfstools
gtfstools stopped guarding its own object model and started accepting everyone else's.
quantities
The glue package that makes R carry units and uncertainty through the same calculation.
See all paleobuddy alternatives → · See all windex alternatives →
Recent activity from paleobuddy and windex
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 1y agopaleobuddypaleobuddy 1.1.0 adds SSE trait-dependent simulation ⚡
- 1y agowindexRelaxes input formats; adds logistic regression barplots
- 2y agowindexwindex 2.0.8
- 2y agowindexnodeDist returns age distributions; plot axes customisable
- 2y agowindexCRAN policy compliance release, no functional change
- 3y agopaleobuddypaleobuddy 1.0.0.1: Zenodo citation release
- 4y agopaleobuddypaleobuddy 1.0.0: first release with time-varying rates
- 5y agowindexMerges sister-clade functions into richYuleInputs
- 5y agowindexAdds modSel.geiger for geiger model selection tables
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between paleobuddy and windex?
Both compete on the same themes — phylogenetics — within Analytics. paleobuddy and windex 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 paleobuddy better than windex?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. paleobuddy and windex 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 paleobuddy?
Top paleobuddy alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "paleobuddy alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/paleobuddy for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to windex?
Top windex alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "windex alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/windex-r for the full list with editorial commentary on each.