I have updated the sources.list file in /etc/apt with the link
deb https://cran.stat.nus.edu.sg/bin/linux/ubuntu precise/
I have changed precise with quantal, trusty also. I am staying in singapore so used the link from singapore. After
apt-get update
when I run
sudo apt-get install r-base
command i get the following error
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable distribution that some required packages have not yet been created or been moved out of Incoming. The following information may help to resolve the situation:
The following packages have unmet dependencies: r-base : Depends: r-base-core (>= 3.2.2-1precise0) but it is not going to be installed Depends: r-recommended (= 3.2.2-1precise0) but it is not going to be installed Recommends: r-base-html but it is not going to be installed E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
Why Precise aka 12.10? That is neither the current LTS (14.04) nor the previous one (12.04).
As such, it is supported neither by Ubuntu (AFAIK) nor the Michael who (as a volunteer) looks after the "ports" of my Debian packages to Ubuntu.
I generally stay current, so my machines are currently all 15.04 with some 15.10. I recommend you do the same.
As for RStudio, it is still not apt-get'able so that will always be a simple download (though you can script that).