Refactor to use the C++ libraries

[LTLA]

@dtm2451 @j-andrews7 @friedue

With the completion of https://github.com/LTLA/singlepp, I can finally fulfill the dream of separating SingleR's core compute from its "other" bits (plotting, other convenience functions). This has some moderate efficiency improvements - IIRC the fine-tuning is about two times faster - but the main appeal is that it should be much easier to maintain SingleR without requiring knowledge of its C++ components, which are now managed and tested separately.

To that end, I am looking for volunteers to take over the official maintainer role for SingleR. I'll do the necessary refactoring to insert singlepp into the package; I can also teach you (enough) C++ to understand what's going on at the R/C++ boundary.

[LTLA]

See #224 for ongoing work in this direction.

[LTLA]

So, it's ready. Any volunteers for maintainership? I'll throw in https://github.com/LTLA/SingleRBook to sweeten the pot.

[friedue]

Does "official maintainer role" mean "answer to github issues" and "ping LTLA when things go awry"?

[LTLA]

Pretty much. And dealing with questions on the support site. Plus any relevant Slack activity.

Most ideal case would be someone who's using SingleR to some extent, so they can dogfood the functions and make necessary adjustments. I don't analyze a lot of data these days, so it's hard for me to figure out whether something is user-friendly. Or even biologically correct, for that matter.

I'm happy to take care of all the C++ code - I consider that a separate project anyway, and handing that off would be a little too much to ask. (Unless someone wants to upskill and learn that kind of stuff, in which case I'd be happy to be a mentor.) It's just all the little usability/quality-of-life stuff in the package that I don't deal with anymore.

(Related is maintainership of celldex, for similar reasons.)

[friedue]

I don't analyze a lot of data these days.

Same here, sadly.

Are you up for it, @j-andrews7, @dtm2451 ? Otherwise we can ask in the biostars and bioC slack channels

[j-andrews7]

I do still use it occasion, but I am really limited on time. I'd be more willing to tag-team it with someone. Stuff like this is really going to be beyond my ability to troubleshoot very effectively or quickly.