title: installing R packages on ubuntu 8.10
body: <p>preface: i'm an os x user coming to linux, so excuse my ignorance in advance</p>
  
  <p>I've installed R using synaptic and now i'm trying to install packages.</p>
  
  <p>I open R then try </p>
  
  <pre><code>install.packages("some_package")
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>system tries to default to <code>/site-library</code>, then tells me it's not writable, then asks about making a personal library?</p>
  
  <p>Should I just make site-library writable? Or is there something more to this?</p>