Optimizers in Splus and R:
--------------------------

Splus
Routine    Library    Description
-------    -------    -----------
uniroot    (none)     univariate root-finder
ms         (none)     minimize sum of terms
nlmin      (none)     unconstrained minimization
nlminb     (non)      minimization in a "box" (hypercube)

optim      MASS       interface to several optimization methods;
                      doesn't seem to be in our MASS library...

R 
Routine    Library    Description
-------    -------    -----------
uniroot    (none)     univariate root finder
nlm        (none)     similar to nlminb
optim      (none)     interface to several optimization methods


SHORT EXAMPLES:
-------------

myfun <- function(x) { (x-3)^2 - 1}
myderiv _ function(x) { 2*(x-3) }

nlmin(myfun,0)              # FINDS A MINIMUM

uniroot(myfun,c(-4,4))      # FINDS A ROOT
uniroot(myderiv,c(-4,4))     # FINDS THE MIN AGAIN