It is decomissioned. See the current FAQ on CRAN, which says
Sources are also available via `https://svn.r-project.org/R/', the R
Subversion repository, but currently not via anonymous rsync (or CVS).
There are good, security-related, reasons for discontinuing rsync.
To get R from svn.r-project.org you need an svn client
(http://subversion.tigris.org/project_packages.html) and then look at
http://developer.r-project.org/SVNtips.html, although
## to checkout
svn co https://svn.r-project.org/R/trunk R-devel
## to update
cd R-devel
svn up
is about all you need to know. If you want a GUI use TortoiseSVN (but
watch for drastic slowdowns to Explorer with it installed).
On Sat, 21 Aug 2004, Erich Neuwirth wrote:
> rsync.r-project.org (alias bates4.stat.wisc.edu)
> seems to be unreachable right now.
> is this only my problem?
> will it be reachable soon again?
>
>
>
--
Brian D. Ripley, ripley@stats.ox.ac.uk
Professor of Applied Statistics, http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/
University of Oxford, Tel: +44 1865 272861 (self)
1 South Parks Road, +44 1865 272866 (PA)
Oxford OX1 3TG, UK Fax: +44 1865 272595