diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/__init__.py b/lib/spack/spack/__init__.py
index 771fc7b32ad..1e38376f5e1 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/__init__.py
@@ -159,7 +159,9 @@
 from spack.build_systems.makefile import MakefilePackage
 from spack.build_systems.autotools import AutotoolsPackage
 from spack.build_systems.cmake import CMakePackage
-__all__ += ['Package', 'CMakePackage', 'AutotoolsPackage', 'MakefilePackage']
+from spack.build_systems.r import RPackage
+__all__ += ['Package', 'CMakePackage', 'AutotoolsPackage', 'MakefilePackage',
+            'RPackage']
 
 from spack.version import Version, ver
 __all__ += ['Version', 'ver']
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/r.py b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/r.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..52b3d82c601
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/r.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+##############################################################################
+# Copyright (c) 2013-2016, Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC.
+# Produced at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
+#
+# This file is part of Spack.
+# Created by Todd Gamblin, tgamblin@llnl.gov, All rights reserved.
+# LLNL-CODE-647188
+#
+# For details, see https://github.com/llnl/spack
+# Please also see the LICENSE file for our notice and the LGPL.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License (as
+# published by the Free Software Foundation) version 2.1, February 1999.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+# WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the IMPLIED WARRANTY OF
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the terms and
+# conditions of the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+# License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+##############################################################################
+
+import inspect
+
+from spack.directives import extends
+from spack.package import PackageBase
+
+
+class RPackage(PackageBase):
+    """Specialized class for packages that are built using R
+
+    This class provides a single phase that can be overridden:
+    * install
+
+    It has sensible defaults and for many packages the only thing
+    necessary will be to add dependencies
+    """
+    phases = ['install']
+
+    # To be used in UI queries that require to know which
+    # build-system class we are using
+    build_system_class = 'RPackage'
+
+    extends('r')
+
+    def install(self, spec, prefix):
+        """Install the R package"""
+        inspect.getmodule(self).R(
+            'CMD', 'INSTALL',
+            '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
+            self.stage.source_path)
+
+    # Check that self.prefix is there after installation
+    PackageBase.sanity_check('install')(PackageBase.sanity_check_prefix)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/create.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/create.py
index f1a5bc5cdb7..2607daaeb5e 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/create.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/create.py
@@ -215,16 +215,11 @@ def __init__(self, name, *args):
 class RGuess(DefaultGuess):
     """Provides appropriate overrides for R extensions"""
     dependencies = """\
-    extends('r')
-
-    # FIXME: Add additional dependencies if required.
+    # FIXME: Add dependencies if required.
     # depends_on('r-foo', type=nolink)"""
 
     body = """\
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        # FIXME: Add logic to build and install here.
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)"""
+    # FIXME: Override install() if necessary."""
 
     def __init__(self, name, *args):
         name = 'r-{0}'.format(name)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-abind/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-abind/package.py
index f691ae13ea6..81fa319a90f 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-abind/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-abind/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RAbind(Package):
+class RAbind(RPackage):
     """Combine multidimensional arrays into a single array. This is a
     generalization of 'cbind' and 'rbind'. Works with vectors, matrices, and
     higher-dimensional arrays. Also provides functions 'adrop', 'asub', and
@@ -36,9 +36,3 @@ class RAbind(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/abind"
 
     version('1.4-3', '10fcf80c677b991bf263d38be35a1fc5')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-assertthat/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-assertthat/package.py
index fe0c400aaa2..97c29b4a999 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-assertthat/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-assertthat/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RAssertthat(Package):
+class RAssertthat(RPackage):
     """assertthat is an extension to stopifnot() that makes it easy to declare
     the pre and post conditions that you code should satisfy, while also
     producing friendly error messages so that your users know what they've done
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RAssertthat(Package):
     url      = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/assertthat_0.1.tar.gz"
 
     version('0.1', '59f9d7f7c00077ea54d763b78eeb5798')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-base64enc/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-base64enc/package.py
index 2289f40e4f9..698e27a29ee 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-base64enc/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-base64enc/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RBase64enc(Package):
+class RBase64enc(RPackage):
     """This package provides tools for handling base64 encoding. It is more
     flexible than the orphaned base64 package."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RBase64enc(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/base64enc"
 
     version('0.1-3', '0f476dacdd11a3e0ad56d13f5bc2f190')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-bh/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-bh/package.py
index 4b2b4ca11da..683ba24d86a 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-bh/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-bh/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RBh(Package):
+class RBh(RPackage):
     """Boost provides free peer-reviewed portable C++ source libraries. A large
     part of Boost is provided as C++ template code which is resolved entirely
     at compile-time without linking. This package aims to provide the most
@@ -46,9 +46,3 @@ class RBh(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/BH"
 
     version('1.60.0-2', 'b50fdc85285da05add4e9da664a2d551')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-biocgenerics/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-biocgenerics/package.py
index ce933565412..654e7f1b2ae 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-biocgenerics/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-biocgenerics/package.py
@@ -25,32 +25,16 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RBiocgenerics(Package):
+class RBiocgenerics(RPackage):
     """S4 generic functions needed by many Bioconductor packages."""
 
     homepage = 'https://bioconductor.org/packages/BiocGenerics/'
-    version('bioc-3.3',
+    version('3.3',
             git='https://github.com/Bioconductor-mirror/BiocGenerics.git',
             branch='release-3.3')
-    version('bioc-3.2',
+    version('3.2',
             git='https://github.com/Bioconductor-mirror/BiocGenerics.git',
             branch='release-3.2')
 
-    extends('r')
-
-    def validate(self, spec):
-        """
-        Checks that the version of R is appropriate for the Bioconductor
-        version.
-        """
-        if spec.satisfies('@bioc-3.3'):
-            if not spec.satisfies('^R@3.3.0:3.3.9'):
-                raise InstallError('Must use R-3.3 for Bioconductor-3.3')
-        elif spec.satisfies('@bioc-3.2'):
-            if not spec.satisfies('^R@3.2.0:3.2.9'):
-                raise InstallError('Must use R-3.2 for Bioconductor-3.2')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        self.validate(spec)
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library=%s' %
-          self.module.r_lib_dir, '%s' % self.stage.source_path)
+    depends_on('r@3.3.0:3.3.9', when='@3.3')
+    depends_on('r@3.2.0:3.2.9', when='@3.2')
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-bitops/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-bitops/package.py
index 7421ea46582..67bb0fe7774 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-bitops/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-bitops/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RBitops(Package):
+class RBitops(RPackage):
     """Functions for bitwise operations on integer vectors."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=bitops"
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RBitops(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/bitops"
 
     version('1.0-6', 'fba16485a51b1ccd354abde5816b6bdd')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-boot/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-boot/package.py
index 0b78c202b87..1361920673d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-boot/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-boot/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RBoot(Package):
+class RBoot(RPackage):
     """Functions and datasets for bootstrapping from the book "Bootstrap
     Methods and Their Application" by A. C. Davison and D. V. Hinkley (1997,
     CUP), originally written by Angelo Canty for S."""
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RBoot(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/boot"
 
     version('1.3-18', '711dd58af14e1027eb8377d9202e9b6f')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-brew/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-brew/package.py
index 10bbccf1de1..558d830a2b7 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-brew/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-brew/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RBrew(Package):
+class RBrew(RPackage):
     """brew implements a templating framework for mixing text and R code for
     report generation. brew template syntax is similar to PHP, Ruby's erb
     module, Java Server Pages, and Python's psp module."""
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RBrew(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/brew"
 
     version('1.0-6', '4aaca5e6ec145e0fc0fe6375ce1f3806')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-c50/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-c50/package.py
index 6ce917521d6..6fc5b60fdc5 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-c50/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-c50/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RC50(Package):
+class RC50(RPackage):
     """C5.0 decision trees and rule-based models for pattern recognition."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=C50"
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RC50(Package):
 
     version('0.1.0-24', '42631e65c5c579532cc6edf5ea175949')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-partykit', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-car/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-car/package.py
index fa2cc407b88..b6232d6297e 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-car/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-car/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RCar(Package):
+class RCar(RPackage):
     """Functions and Datasets to Accompany J. Fox and S. Weisberg, An R
     Companion to Applied Regression, Second Edition, Sage, 2011."""
 
@@ -35,14 +35,8 @@ class RCar(Package):
 
     version('2.1-2', '0f78ad74ef7130126d319acec23951a0')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-mass', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-mgcv', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-nnet', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-pbkrtest', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-quantreg', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-caret/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-caret/package.py
index bfc2db5780d..f98cebcff8a 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-caret/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-caret/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RCaret(Package):
+class RCaret(RPackage):
     """Misc functions for training and plotting classification and regression
     models."""
 
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ class RCaret(Package):
 
     version('6.0-70', '202d7abb6a679af716ea69fb2573f108')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-lattice', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-ggplot2', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-car', type=nolink)
@@ -44,7 +42,3 @@ class RCaret(Package):
     depends_on('r-plyr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-nlme', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-reshape2', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-catools/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-catools/package.py
index b2daa14c6bb..57e9c17f242 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-catools/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-catools/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RCatools(Package):
+class RCatools(RPackage):
     """Contains several basic utility functions including: moving (rolling,
     running) window statistic functions, read/write for GIF and ENVI binary
     files, fast calculation of AUC, LogitBoost classifier, base64
@@ -38,10 +38,4 @@ class RCatools(Package):
 
     version('1.17.1', '5c872bbc78b177b306f36709deb44498')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-bitops', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-chron/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-chron/package.py
index 9393ac416f2..e1731424b3b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-chron/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-chron/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RChron(Package):
+class RChron(RPackage):
     """Chronological objects which can handle dates and times."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=chron"
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RChron(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/chron"
 
     version('2.3-47', 'b8890cdc5f2337f8fd775b0becdcdd1f')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-class/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-class/package.py
index 627cce808c6..d455deb303b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-class/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-class/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RClass(Package):
+class RClass(RPackage):
     """Various functions for classification, including k-nearest neighbour,
     Learning Vector Quantization and Self-Organizing Maps."""
 
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RClass(Package):
 
     version('7.3-14', '6a21dd206fe4ea29c55faeb65fb2b71e')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-mass', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-cluster/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-cluster/package.py
index 2deb0533220..29e16c22715 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-cluster/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-cluster/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RCluster(Package):
+class RCluster(RPackage):
     """Methods for Cluster analysis. Much extended the original from Peter
     Rousseeuw, Anja Struyf and Mia Hubert, based on Kaufman and Rousseeuw
     (1990) "Finding Groups in Data"."""
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RCluster(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/cluster"
 
     version('2.0.4', 'bb4deceaafb1c42bb1278d5d0dc11e59')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-codetools/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-codetools/package.py
index 206e4c09a55..39186bf54a1 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-codetools/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-codetools/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RCodetools(Package):
+class RCodetools(RPackage):
     """Code analysis tools for R."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/codetools/index.html"
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RCodetools(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/codetools"
 
     version('0.2-14', '7ec41d4f8bd6ba85facc8c5e6adc1f4d')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-colorspace/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-colorspace/package.py
index 48c50191acb..b7561ea3603 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-colorspace/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-colorspace/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RColorspace(Package):
+class RColorspace(RPackage):
     """Carries out mapping between assorted color spaces including RGB, HSV,
     HLS, CIEXYZ, CIELUV, HCL (polar CIELUV), CIELAB and polar CIELAB.
     Qualitative, sequential, and diverging color palettes based on HCL colors
@@ -36,9 +36,3 @@ class RColorspace(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/colorspace"
 
     version('1.2-6', 'a30191e9caf66f77ff4e99c062e9dce1')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-crayon/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-crayon/package.py
index f0578a7c814..2002ea54192 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-crayon/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-crayon/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RCrayon(Package):
+class RCrayon(RPackage):
     """Colored terminal output on terminals that support 'ANSI' color and
     highlight codes. It also works in 'Emacs' 'ESS'. 'ANSI' color support is
     automatically detected. Colors and highlighting can be combined and nested.
@@ -37,9 +37,3 @@ class RCrayon(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/crayon"
 
     version('1.3.2', 'fe29c6204d2d6ff4c2f9d107a03d0cb9')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-cubature/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-cubature/package.py
index 4ae21947ae4..918f8e9e3d9 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-cubature/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-cubature/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RCubature(Package):
+class RCubature(RPackage):
     """Adaptive multivariate integration over hypercubes"""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=cubature"
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RCubature(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/cubature"
 
     version('1.1-2', '5617e1d82baa803a3814d92461da45c9')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-curl/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-curl/package.py
index 71f28d46097..7b62d1be603 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-curl/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-curl/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RCurl(Package):
+class RCurl(RPackage):
     """The curl() and curl_download() functions provide highly configurable
     drop-in replacements for base url() and download.file() with better
     performance, support for encryption (https, ftps), gzip compression,
@@ -43,10 +43,4 @@ class RCurl(Package):
     version('1.0', '93d34926d6071e1fba7e728b482f0dd9')
     version('0.9.7', 'a101f7de948cb828fef571c730f39217')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('curl')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-datatable/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-datatable/package.py
index f0d2247d36e..fecde7ede2b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-datatable/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-datatable/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDatatable(Package):
+class RDatatable(RPackage):
     """Fast aggregation of large data (e.g. 100GB in RAM), fast ordered joins,
     fast add/modify/delete of columns by group using no copies at all, list
     columns and a fast file reader (fread). Offers a natural and flexible
@@ -37,10 +37,4 @@ class RDatatable(Package):
 
     version('1.9.6', 'b1c0c7cce490bdf42ab288541cc55372')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-chron', type='nolink')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dbi/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dbi/package.py
index b0146ffb27d..f00100bdf04 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dbi/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dbi/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDbi(Package):
+class RDbi(RPackage):
     """A database interface definition for communication between R and
     relational database management systems. All classes in this package are
     virtual and need to be extended by the various R/DBMS implementations."""
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RDbi(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/DBI"
 
     version('0.4-1', 'c7ee8f1c5037c2284e99c62698d0f087')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-deoptim/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-deoptim/package.py
index 9f5302ce16c..5334953d464 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-deoptim/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-deoptim/package.py
@@ -26,18 +26,12 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDeoptim(Package):
+class RDeoptim(RPackage):
     """Implements the differential evolution algorithm for global optimization
     of a real-valued function of a real-valued parameter vector."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=DEoptim"
     url      = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/DEoptim_2.2-3.tar.gz"
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/DEoptim"
-    
+
     version('2.2-3', 'ed406e6790f8f1568aa9bec159f80326')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-devtools/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-devtools/package.py
index 01adc6e327f..4a8a8e3026e 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-devtools/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-devtools/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDevtools(Package):
+class RDevtools(RPackage):
     """Collection of package development tools."""
 
     homepage = "https://github.com/hadley/devtools"
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ class RDevtools(Package):
 
     version('1.11.1', '242672ee27d24dddcbdaac88c586b6c2')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-httr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-memoise', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-whisker', type=nolink)
@@ -44,7 +42,3 @@ class RDevtools(Package):
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-git2r', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-withr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-diagrammer/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-diagrammer/package.py
index 420e4d803a8..f99e1467240 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-diagrammer/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-diagrammer/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDiagrammer(Package):
+class RDiagrammer(RPackage):
     """Create graph diagrams and flowcharts using R."""
 
     homepage = "https://github.com/rich-iannone/DiagrammeR"
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ class RDiagrammer(Package):
 
     version('0.8.4', '9ee295c744f5d4ba9a84289ca7bdaf1a')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-htmlwidgets', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-igraph', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-influencer', type=nolink)
@@ -43,7 +41,3 @@ class RDiagrammer(Package):
     depends_on('r-stringr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-visnetwork', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-scales', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dichromat/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dichromat/package.py
index 240bfc3be7c..ea465e2d6cc 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dichromat/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dichromat/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDichromat(Package):
+class RDichromat(RPackage):
     """Collapse red-green or green-blue distinctions to simulate the effects of
     different types of color-blindness."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RDichromat(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/dichromat"
 
     version('2.0-0', '84e194ac95a69763d740947a7ee346a6')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-digest/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-digest/package.py
index f573638b1b5..7e077442f96 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-digest/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-digest/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDigest(Package):
+class RDigest(RPackage):
     """Implementation of a function 'digest()' for the creation of hash digests
     of arbitrary R objects (using the md5, sha-1, sha-256, crc32, xxhash and
     murmurhash algorithms) permitting easy comparison of R language objects, as
@@ -48,9 +48,3 @@ class RDigest(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/digest"
 
     version('0.6.9', '48048ce6c466bdb124716e45ba4a0e83')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-doparallel/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-doparallel/package.py
index c78624d6d83..f74b23aae04 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-doparallel/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-doparallel/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDoparallel(Package):
+class RDoparallel(RPackage):
     """Provides a parallel backend for the %dopar% function using the parallel
     package."""
 
@@ -35,11 +35,5 @@ class RDoparallel(Package):
 
     version('1.0.10', 'd9fbde8f315d98d055483ee3493c9b43')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-foreach', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-iterators', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dplyr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dplyr/package.py
index 2e0f43b7269..77877a0e020 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dplyr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dplyr/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDplyr(Package):
+class RDplyr(RPackage):
     """A fast, consistent tool for working with data frame like objects, both
     in memory and out of memory."""
 
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ class RDplyr(Package):
 
     version('0.5.0', '1fcafcacca70806eea2e6d465cdb94ef')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-assertthat', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-r6', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
@@ -45,7 +43,3 @@ class RDplyr(Package):
     depends_on('r-lazyeval', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-dbi', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-bh', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dt/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dt/package.py
index 2612ce3a570..d5680bee992 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dt/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dt/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDt(Package):
+class RDt(RPackage):
     """Data objects in R can be rendered as HTML tables using the JavaScript
     library 'DataTables' (typically via R Markdown or Shiny). The 'DataTables'
     library has been included in this R package. The package name 'DT' is an
@@ -36,12 +36,6 @@ class RDt(Package):
 
     version('0.1', '5c8df984921fa484784ec4b8a4fb6f3c')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-htmltools', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-htmlwidgets', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-magrittr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dygraphs/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dygraphs/package.py
index 94441dd6d5f..80aedda6d63 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dygraphs/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-dygraphs/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RDygraphs(Package):
+class RDygraphs(RPackage):
     """An R interface to the 'dygraphs' JavaScript charting library (a copy of
     which is included in the package). Provides rich facilities for charting
     time-series data in R, including highly configurable series- and
@@ -38,13 +38,7 @@ class RDygraphs(Package):
 
     version('0.9', '7f0ce4312bcd3f0a58b8c03b2772f833')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-magrittr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-htmlwidgets', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-zoo', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-xts', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-e1071/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-e1071/package.py
index ef29cc33186..f9ba6854cce 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-e1071/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-e1071/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RE1071(Package):
+class RE1071(RPackage):
     """Functions for latent class analysis, short time Fourier transform, fuzzy
     clustering, support vector machines, shortest path computation, bagged
     clustering, naive Bayes classifier, ..."""
@@ -36,10 +36,4 @@ class RE1071(Package):
 
     version('1.6-7', 'd109a7e3dd0c905d420e327a9a921f5a')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-class', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-evaluate/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-evaluate/package.py
index c9a980a2c51..5516cc86970 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-evaluate/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-evaluate/package.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class REvaluate(Package):
+class REvaluate(RPackage):
     """Parsing and evaluation tools that make it easy to recreate the command
     line behaviour of R."""
 
@@ -37,10 +37,4 @@ class REvaluate(Package):
 
     version('0.9', '877d89ce8a9ef7f403b1089ca1021775')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-stringr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-filehash/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-filehash/package.py
index 2b92013db81..b17335ed114 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-filehash/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-filehash/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RFilehash(Package):
+class RFilehash(RPackage):
     """Implements a simple key-value style database where character string keys
     are associated with data values that are stored on the disk. A simple
     interface is provided for inserting, retrieving, and deleting data from the
@@ -41,9 +41,3 @@ class RFilehash(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/filehash"
 
     version('2.3', '01fffafe09b148ccadc9814c103bdc2f')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-foreach/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-foreach/package.py
index 7f2b1e63a87..85f76b4779f 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-foreach/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-foreach/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RForeach(Package):
+class RForeach(RPackage):
     """Support for the foreach looping construct. Foreach is an idiom that
     allows for iterating over elements in a collection, without the use of an
     explicit loop counter. This package in particular is intended to be used
@@ -40,11 +40,5 @@ class RForeach(Package):
 
     version('1.4.3', 'ef45768126661b259f9b8994462c49a0')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-codetools', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-iterators', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-foreign/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-foreign/package.py
index a248518f586..b293f091c29 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-foreign/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-foreign/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RForeign(Package):
+class RForeign(RPackage):
     """Functions for reading and writing data stored by some versions of Epi
     Info, Minitab, S, SAS, SPSS, Stata, Systat and Weka and for reading and
     writing some dBase files."""
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RForeign(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/foreign"
 
     version('0.8-66', 'ff12190f4631dca31e30ca786c2c8f62')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-formatr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-formatr/package.py
index 3935ee90006..db812b3eb68 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-formatr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-formatr/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RFormatr(Package):
+class RFormatr(RPackage):
     """Provides a function tidy_source() to format R source code. Spaces and
     indent will be added to the code automatically, and comments will be
     preserved under certain conditions, so that R code will be more
@@ -39,13 +39,7 @@ class RFormatr(Package):
 
     version('1.4', '98b9b64b2785b35f9df403e1aab6c73c')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-codetools', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-shiny', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-testit', type=nolink)
     # depends_on('r-knitr', type=nolink) - mutual dependency
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-formula/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-formula/package.py
index cd5b0b41e93..5515ca91a3c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-formula/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-formula/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RFormula(Package):
+class RFormula(RPackage):
     """Infrastructure for extended formulas with multiple parts on the right-hand
     side and/or multiple responses on the left-hand side."""
 
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RFormula(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/Formula"
 
     version('1.2-1', '2afb31e637cecd0c1106317aca1e4849')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gdata/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gdata/package.py
index 2897ad922d0..591d9cf18a0 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gdata/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gdata/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGdata(Package):
+class RGdata(RPackage):
     """Various R programming tools for data manipulation, including: - medical
     unit conversions ('ConvertMedUnits', 'MedUnits'), - combining objects
     ('bindData', 'cbindX', 'combine', 'interleave'), - character vector
@@ -50,10 +50,4 @@ class RGdata(Package):
 
     version('2.17.0', 'c716b663b9dc16ad8cafe6acc781a75f')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-gtools', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-geosphere/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-geosphere/package.py
index dec9a3939e9..5722fc1f312 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-geosphere/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-geosphere/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGeosphere(Package):
+class RGeosphere(RPackage):
     """Spherical trigonometry for geographic applications. That is, compute
     distances and related measures for angular (longitude/latitude)
     locations."""
@@ -36,10 +36,4 @@ class RGeosphere(Package):
 
     version('1.5-5', '28efb7a8e266c7f076cdbcf642455f3e')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-sp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggmap/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggmap/package.py
index d6c6d53c210..be611e35628 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggmap/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggmap/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGgmap(Package):
+class RGgmap(RPackage):
     """A collection of functions to visualize spatial data and models on top of
     static maps from various online sources (e.g Google Maps and Stamen Maps).
     It includes tools common to those tasks, including functions for
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ class RGgmap(Package):
 
     version('2.6.1', '25ad414a3a1c6d59a227a9f22601211a')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-ggplot2', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-proto', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rgooglemaps', type=nolink)
@@ -51,7 +49,3 @@ class RGgmap(Package):
     depends_on('r-geosphere', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-scales', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggplot2/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggplot2/package.py
index c0c37d91644..19da1eee9e2 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggplot2/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggplot2/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGgplot2(Package):
+class RGgplot2(RPackage):
     """An implementation of the grammar of graphics in R. It combines the
     advantages of both base and lattice graphics: conditioning and shared axes
     are handled automatically, and you can still build up a plot step by step
@@ -40,15 +40,9 @@ class RGgplot2(Package):
 
     version('2.1.0', '771928cfb97c649c720423deb3ec7fd3')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-gtable', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-mass', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-plyr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-reshape2', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-scales', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggvis/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggvis/package.py
index 9c6720b4aa8..3eb27d8483d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggvis/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ggvis/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGgvis(Package):
+class RGgvis(RPackage):
     """An implementation of an interactive grammar of graphics, taking the best
     parts of 'ggplot2', combining them with the reactive framework from 'shiny'
     and web graphics from 'vega'."""
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ class RGgvis(Package):
 
     version('0.4.2', '039f45e5c7f1e0652779163d7d99f922')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-assertthat', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-shiny', type=nolink)
@@ -45,7 +43,3 @@ class RGgvis(Package):
     depends_on('r-dplyr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-lazyeval', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-htmltools', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gistr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gistr/package.py
index 08910b0fe12..b939fdfe5b2 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gistr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gistr/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGistr(Package):
+class RGistr(RPackage):
     """Work with 'GitHub' 'gists' from 'R'. This package allows the user to
     create new 'gists', update 'gists' with new files, rename files, delete
     files, get and delete 'gists', star and 'un-star' 'gists', fork 'gists',
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ class RGistr(Package):
 
     version('0.3.6', '49d548cb3eca0e66711aece37757a2c0')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-httr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-magrittr', type=nolink)
@@ -49,7 +47,3 @@ class RGistr(Package):
     depends_on('r-knitr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rmarkdown', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-dplyr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-git2r/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-git2r/package.py
index 1387581306f..7c4ff3144ba 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-git2r/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-git2r/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGit2r(Package):
+class RGit2r(RPackage):
     """Interface to the 'libgit2' library, which is a pure C implementation of
     the 'Git' core methods. Provides access to 'Git' repositories to extract
     data and running some basic 'Git' commands."""
@@ -36,11 +36,5 @@ class RGit2r(Package):
 
     version('0.15.0', '57658b3298f9b9aadc0dd77b4ef6a1e1')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('zlib')
     depends_on('openssl')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-glmnet/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-glmnet/package.py
index 895c066e57d..1b56d9b5ef2 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-glmnet/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-glmnet/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGlmnet(Package):
+class RGlmnet(RPackage):
     """Extremely efficient procedures for fitting the entire lasso or
     elastic-net regularization path for linear regression, logistic and
     multinomial regression models, Poisson regression and the Cox model. Two
@@ -39,11 +39,5 @@ class RGlmnet(Package):
 
     version('2.0-5', '049b18caa29529614cd684db3beaec2a')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-foreach', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-googlevis/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-googlevis/package.py
index 54e1d397a6e..1d86dd75929 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-googlevis/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-googlevis/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGooglevis(Package):
+class RGooglevis(RPackage):
     """R interface to Google Charts API, allowing users to create interactive
     charts based on data frames. Charts are displayed locally via the R HTTP
     help server. A modern browser with an Internet connection is required and
@@ -38,10 +38,4 @@ class RGooglevis(Package):
 
     version('0.6.0', 'ec36fd2a6884ddc7baa894007d0d0468')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gridbase/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gridbase/package.py
index 1afc1af3acb..73d87c7e49a 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gridbase/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gridbase/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGridbase(Package):
+class RGridbase(RPackage):
     """Integration of base and grid graphics."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/gridBase/index.html"
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RGridbase(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/gridBase"
 
     version('0.4-7', '6d5064a85f5c966a92ee468ae44c5f1f')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gridextra/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gridextra/package.py
index 582cd39b851..77808b5e4c2 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gridextra/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gridextra/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGridextra(Package):
+class RGridextra(RPackage):
     """Provides a number of user-level functions to work with "grid" graphics,
     notably to arrange multiple grid-based plots on a page, and draw tables."""
 
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RGridextra(Package):
 
     version('2.2.1', '7076c2122d387c7ef3add69a1c4fc1b2')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-gtable', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gtable/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gtable/package.py
index a633e8273f0..236416755b4 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gtable/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gtable/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGtable(Package):
+class RGtable(RPackage):
     """Tools to make it easier to work with "tables" of 'grobs'."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/gtable/index.html"
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RGtable(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/gtable"
 
     version('0.2.0', '124090ae40b2dd3170ae11180e0d4cab')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gtools/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gtools/package.py
index 6676ec1be3f..632187b49e1 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gtools/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-gtools/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RGtools(Package):
+class RGtools(RPackage):
     """Functions to assist in R programming, including: - assist in developing,
     updating, and maintaining R and R packages ('ask', 'checkRVersion',
     'getDependencies', 'keywords', 'scat'), - calculate the logit and inverse
@@ -52,9 +52,3 @@ class RGtools(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/gtools"
 
     version('3.5.0', '45f8800c0336d35046641fbacc56bdbb')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-hexbin/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-hexbin/package.py
index b9a7e612c33..5e336c021ad 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-hexbin/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-hexbin/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RHexbin(Package):
+class RHexbin(RPackage):
     """Binning and plotting functions for hexagonal bins. Now uses and relies
     on grid graphics and formal (S4) classes and methods."""
 
@@ -36,10 +36,4 @@ class RHexbin(Package):
 
     version('1.27.1', '7f380390c6511e97df10a810a3b3bb7c')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-lattice', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-highr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-highr/package.py
index e9fb7c34d53..13164f9c605 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-highr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-highr/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RHighr(Package):
+class RHighr(RPackage):
     """Provides syntax highlighting for R source code. Currently it supports
     LaTeX and HTML output. Source code of other languages is supported via
     Andre Simon's highlight package."""
@@ -36,9 +36,3 @@ class RHighr(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/highr"
 
     version('0.6', 'bf47388c5f57dc61962362fb7e1d8b16')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-htmltools/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-htmltools/package.py
index aa776f3929b..7da66f33146 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-htmltools/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-htmltools/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RHtmltools(Package):
+class RHtmltools(RPackage):
     """Tools for HTML generation and output."""
 
     homepage = "https://github.com/rstudio/htmltools"
@@ -34,11 +34,5 @@ class RHtmltools(Package):
 
     version('0.3.5', '5f001aff4a39e329f7342dcec5139724')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-htmlwidgets/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-htmlwidgets/package.py
index 615936c5853..69f64c2a31b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-htmlwidgets/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-htmlwidgets/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RHtmlwidgets(Package):
+class RHtmlwidgets(RPackage):
     """A framework for creating HTML widgets that render in various contexts
     including the R console, 'R Markdown' documents, and 'Shiny' web
     applications."""
@@ -36,12 +36,6 @@ class RHtmlwidgets(Package):
 
     version('0.6', '7fa522d2eda97593978021bda9670c0e')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-htmltools', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-yaml', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-httpuv/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-httpuv/package.py
index c353dacc5f5..b700cd1510d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-httpuv/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-httpuv/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RHttpuv(Package):
+class RHttpuv(RPackage):
     """Provides low-level socket and protocol support for handling HTTP and
     WebSocket requests directly from within R. It is primarily intended as a
     building block for other packages, rather than making it particularly easy
@@ -40,10 +40,4 @@ class RHttpuv(Package):
 
     version('1.3.3', 'c78ae068cf59e949b9791be987bb4489')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-httr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-httr/package.py
index bf7ce4dccbb..826e4a298bf 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-httr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-httr/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RHttr(Package):
+class RHttr(RPackage):
     """Useful tools for working with HTTP organised by HTTP verbs (GET(),
     POST(), etc). Configuration functions make it easy to control additional
     request components (authenticate(), add_headers() and so on)."""
@@ -36,14 +36,8 @@ class RHttr(Package):
 
     version('1.1.0', '5ffbbc5c2529e49f00aaa521a2b35600')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-mime', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-curl', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-openssl', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-r6', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-igraph/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-igraph/package.py
index 8c1a6252ba7..991cc424c01 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-igraph/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-igraph/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RIgraph(Package):
+class RIgraph(RPackage):
     """Routines for simple graphs and network analysis. It can handle large
     graphs very well and provides functions for generating random and regular
     graphs, graph visualization, centrality methods and much more."""
@@ -36,15 +36,9 @@ class RIgraph(Package):
 
     version('1.0.1', 'ea33495e49adf4a331e4ba60ba559065')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-magrittr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-nmf', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-irlba', type=nolink)
     depends_on('gmp')
     depends_on('libxml2')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-influencer/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-influencer/package.py
index 8102954daad..04a7b27679b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-influencer/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-influencer/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RInfluencer(Package):
+class RInfluencer(RPackage):
     """Provides functionality to compute various node centrality measures on
     networks. Included are functions to compute betweenness centrality (by
     utilizing Madduri and Bader's SNAP library), implementations of Burt's
@@ -40,11 +40,5 @@ class RInfluencer(Package):
 
     version('0.1.0', '6c8b6decd78c341364b5811fb3050ba5')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-igraph', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-inline/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-inline/package.py
index 0694af6d34a..f30c87dc9b3 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-inline/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-inline/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RInline(Package):
+class RInline(RPackage):
     """Functionality to dynamically define R functions and S4 methods with
     inlined C, C++ or Fortran code supporting .C and .Call calling
     conventions."""
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RInline(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/inline"
 
     version('0.3.14', '9fe304a6ebf0e3889c4c6a7ad1c50bca')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irdisplay/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irdisplay/package.py
index 00de6b35acd..0c36be25c37 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irdisplay/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irdisplay/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RIrdisplay(Package):
+class RIrdisplay(RPackage):
     """An interface to the rich display capabilities of Jupyter front-ends
     (e.g. 'Jupyter Notebook') Designed to be used from a running IRkernel
     session"""
@@ -36,10 +36,4 @@ class RIrdisplay(Package):
 
     version('0.4.4', '5be672fb82185b90f23bd99ac1e1cdb6')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-repr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irkernel/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irkernel/package.py
index 4890d95b3ef..68f62f28011 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irkernel/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irkernel/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RIrkernel(Package):
+class RIrkernel(RPackage):
     """R kernel for Jupyter"""
 
     homepage = "https://irkernel.github.io/"
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ class RIrkernel(Package):
     version('master', git='https://github.com/IRkernel/IRkernel.git',
         tag='0.7')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-repr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-irdisplay', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-evaluate', type=nolink)
@@ -45,7 +43,3 @@ class RIrkernel(Package):
     depends_on('r-devtools', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-uuid', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irlba/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irlba/package.py
index caae09930cd..2028afcd346 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irlba/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-irlba/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RIrlba(Package):
+class RIrlba(RPackage):
     """Fast and memory efficient methods for truncated singular and eigenvalue
     decompositions and principal component analysis of large sparse or dense
     matrices."""
@@ -36,10 +36,4 @@ class RIrlba(Package):
 
     version('2.0.0', '557674cf8b68fea5b9f231058c324d26')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-iterators/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-iterators/package.py
index 7e6fb9890dc..38dff8f9ac7 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-iterators/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-iterators/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RIterators(Package):
+class RIterators(RPackage):
     """Support for iterators, which allow a programmer to traverse through all
     the elements of a vector, list, or other collection of data."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RIterators(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/iterators"
 
     version('1.0.8', '2ded7f82cddd8174f1ec98607946c6ee')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-jpeg/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-jpeg/package.py
index 2ec11e744b0..02c42b5ff12 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-jpeg/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-jpeg/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RJpeg(Package):
+class RJpeg(RPackage):
     """This package provides an easy and simple way to read, write and display
     bitmap images stored in the JPEG format. It can read and write both files
     and in-memory raw vectors."""
@@ -36,10 +36,4 @@ class RJpeg(Package):
 
     version('0.1-8', '696007451d14395b1ed1d0e9af667a57')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('jpeg')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-jsonlite/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-jsonlite/package.py
index d01caf1f95b..7368187af5d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-jsonlite/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-jsonlite/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RJsonlite(Package):
+class RJsonlite(RPackage):
     """A fast JSON parser and generator optimized for statistical data and the
     web. Started out as a fork of 'RJSONIO', but has been completely rewritten
     in recent versions. The package offers flexible, robust, high performance
@@ -43,9 +43,3 @@ class RJsonlite(Package):
 
     version('1.0', 'c8524e086de22ab39b8ac8000220cc87')
     version('0.9.21', '4fc382747f88a79ff0718a0d06bed45d')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-knitr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-knitr/package.py
index 4ad22cf33f4..7ed6562428a 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-knitr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-knitr/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RKnitr(Package):
+class RKnitr(RPackage):
     """Provides a general-purpose tool for dynamic report generation in R using
     Literate Programming techniques."""
 
@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@ class RKnitr(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.rstudio.com/src/contrib/Archive/knitr"
 
     version('1.14', 'ef0fbeaa9372f99ffbc57212a7781511')
-    version('0.6' , 'c67d6db84cd55594a9e870c90651a3db')
-
-    extends('r')
+    version('0.6',  'c67d6db84cd55594a9e870c90651a3db')
 
     depends_on('r-evaluate', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
@@ -46,7 +44,3 @@ class RKnitr(Package):
     depends_on('r-stringr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-markdown', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-yaml', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-labeling/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-labeling/package.py
index daf971bf440..7c288c63a40 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-labeling/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-labeling/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RLabeling(Package):
+class RLabeling(RPackage):
     """Provides a range of axis labeling algorithms."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/labeling/index.html"
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RLabeling(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/labeling"
 
     version('0.3', 'ccd7082ec0b211aba8a89d85176bb534')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lattice/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lattice/package.py
index 9308a869a2b..ed3c19f2e68 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lattice/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lattice/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RLattice(Package):
+class RLattice(RPackage):
     """A powerful and elegant high-level data visualization system inspired by
     Trellis graphics, with an emphasis on multivariate data. Lattice is
     sufficient for typical graphics needs, and is also flexible enough to
@@ -36,9 +36,3 @@ class RLattice(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/lattice"
 
     version('0.20-34', 'c2a648b22d4206ae7526fb70b8e90fed')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lazyeval/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lazyeval/package.py
index 138691759f9..ab41a396752 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lazyeval/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lazyeval/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RLazyeval(Package):
+class RLazyeval(RPackage):
     """An alternative approach to non-standard evaluation using formulas.
     Provides a full implementation of LISP style 'quasiquotation', making it
     easier to generate code with other code."""
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RLazyeval(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/lazyeval"
 
     version('0.2.0', 'df1daac908dcf02ae7e12f4335b1b13b')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-leaflet/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-leaflet/package.py
index ab7fd2c48af..740c3f60bb9 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-leaflet/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-leaflet/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RLeaflet(Package):
+class RLeaflet(RPackage):
     """Create and customize interactive maps using the 'Leaflet' JavaScript
     library and the 'htmlwidgets' package. These maps can be used directly from
     the R console, from 'RStudio', in Shiny apps and R Markdown documents."""
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ class RLeaflet(Package):
 
     version('1.0.1', '7f3d8b17092604d87d4eeb579f73d5df')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-base64enc', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-htmlwidgets', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-htmltools', type=nolink)
@@ -48,7 +46,3 @@ class RLeaflet(Package):
     depends_on('r-raster', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-scales', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-sp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lme4/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lme4/package.py
index 2f9ee3e48fc..bddc35fad25 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lme4/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lme4/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RLme4(Package):
+class RLme4(RPackage):
     """Fit linear and generalized linear mixed-effects models. The models and
     their components are represented using S4 classes and methods. The core
     computational algorithms are implemented using the 'Eigen' C++ library for
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ class RLme4(Package):
 
     version('1.1-12', 'da8aaebb67477ecb5631851c46207804')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-mass', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-lattice', type=nolink)
@@ -47,7 +45,3 @@ class RLme4(Package):
     depends_on('r-nloptr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcppeigen', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lmtest/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lmtest/package.py
index ff98eeadcf9..b52bfd6861d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lmtest/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lmtest/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RLmtest(Package):
+class RLmtest(RPackage):
     """A collection of tests, data sets, and examples for diagnostic checking
     in linear regression models. Furthermore, some generic tools for inference
     in parametric models are provided."""
@@ -36,10 +36,4 @@ class RLmtest(Package):
 
     version('0.9-34', 'fcdf7286bb5ccc2ca46be00bf25ac2fe')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-zoo', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lubridate/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lubridate/package.py
index 125762de1ed..8705ce805f7 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lubridate/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-lubridate/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RLubridate(Package):
+class RLubridate(RPackage):
     """Functions to work with date-times and timespans: fast and user friendly
     parsing of date-time data, extraction and updating of components of a
     date-time (years, months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds), algebraic
@@ -39,10 +39,4 @@ class RLubridate(Package):
 
     version('1.5.6', 'a5dc44817548ee219d26a10bae92e611')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-stringr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-magic/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-magic/package.py
index ff329031254..d58ab5baccf 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-magic/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-magic/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMagic(Package):
+class RMagic(RPackage):
     """A collection of efficient, vectorized algorithms for the creation and
     investigation of magic squares and hypercubes, including a variety of
     functions for the manipulation and analysis of arbitrarily dimensioned
@@ -37,10 +37,4 @@ class RMagic(Package):
 
     version('1.5-6', 'a68e5ced253b2196af842e1fc84fd029')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-abind', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-magrittr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-magrittr/package.py
index c41f4eff8f6..915797e11d5 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-magrittr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-magrittr/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMagrittr(Package):
+class RMagrittr(RPackage):
     """Provides a mechanism for chaining commands with a new forward-pipe
     operator, %>%. This operator will forward a value, or the result of an
     expression, into the next function call/expression. There is flexible
@@ -37,9 +37,3 @@ class RMagrittr(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/magrittr"
 
     version('1.5', 'e74ab7329f2b9833f0c3c1216f86d65a')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mapproj/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mapproj/package.py
index bace22a1256..5aaac4fe110 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mapproj/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mapproj/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMapproj(Package):
+class RMapproj(RPackage):
     """Converts latitude/longitude into projected coordinates."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=mapproj"
@@ -34,10 +34,4 @@ class RMapproj(Package):
 
     version('1.2-4', '10e22bde1c790e1540672f15ddcaee71')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-maps', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-maps/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-maps/package.py
index 8cbb6466435..c399bc52f3a 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-maps/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-maps/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMaps(Package):
+class RMaps(RPackage):
     """Display of maps. Projection code and larger maps are in separate
     packages ('mapproj' and 'mapdata')."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RMaps(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/maps"
 
     version('3.1.1', 'ff045eccb6d5a658db5a539116ddf764')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-maptools/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-maptools/package.py
index df9254e1875..799125a7c90 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-maptools/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-maptools/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMaptools(Package):
+class RMaptools(RPackage):
     """Set of tools for manipulating and reading geographic data, in particular
     ESRI shapefiles; C code used from shapelib. It includes binary access to
     GSHHG shoreline files. The package also provides interface wrappers for
@@ -38,12 +38,6 @@ class RMaptools(Package):
 
     version('0.8-39', '3690d96afba8ef22c8e27ae540ffb836')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-sp', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-foreign', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-lattice', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-markdown/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-markdown/package.py
index 9648412e504..544c002d521 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-markdown/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-markdown/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMarkdown(Package):
+class RMarkdown(RPackage):
     """Provides R bindings to the 'Sundown' 'Markdown' rendering library
     (https://github.com/vmg/sundown). 'Markdown' is a plain-text formatting
     syntax that can be converted to 'XHTML' or other formats. See
@@ -38,10 +38,4 @@ class RMarkdown(Package):
 
     version('0.7.7', '72deca9c675c7cc9343048edbc29f7ff')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-mime', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mass/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mass/package.py
index eda7dccabfa..25d3b5869b8 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mass/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mass/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMass(Package):
+class RMass(RPackage):
     """Functions and datasets to support Venables and Ripley, "Modern Applied
     Statistics with S" (4th edition, 2002)."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RMass(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/MASS"
 
     version('7.3-45', 'aba3d12fab30f1793bee168a1efea88b')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-matrix/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-matrix/package.py
index 02f193dd9b9..12614014dec 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-matrix/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-matrix/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMatrix(Package):
+class RMatrix(RPackage):
     """Classes and methods for dense and sparse matrices and operations on them
     using 'LAPACK' and 'SuiteSparse'."""
 
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RMatrix(Package):
 
     version('1.2-6', 'f545307fb1284861e9266c4e9712c55e')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-lattice', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-matrixmodels/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-matrixmodels/package.py
index 62adab7f15c..3b4d4651321 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-matrixmodels/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-matrixmodels/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMatrixmodels(Package):
+class RMatrixmodels(RPackage):
     """Modelling with sparse and dense 'Matrix' matrices, using modular
     prediction and response module classes."""
 
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RMatrixmodels(Package):
 
     version('0.4-1', '65b3ab56650c62bf1046a3eb1f1e19a0')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-memoise/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-memoise/package.py
index da931315545..c92daf6652f 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-memoise/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-memoise/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMemoise(Package):
+class RMemoise(RPackage):
     """Cache the results of a function so that when you call it again with the
     same arguments it returns the pre-computed value."""
 
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RMemoise(Package):
 
     version('1.0.0', 'd31145292e2a88ae9a504cab1602e4ac')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mgcv/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mgcv/package.py
index 5b8f04a84c4..5d5940129ca 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mgcv/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mgcv/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMgcv(Package):
+class RMgcv(RPackage):
     """GAMs, GAMMs and other generalized ridge regression with multiple
     smoothing parameter estimation by GCV, REML or UBRE/AIC. Includes a gam()
     function, a wide variety of smoothers, JAGS support and distributions
@@ -37,11 +37,5 @@ class RMgcv(Package):
 
     version('1.8-13', '30607be3aaf44b13bd8c81fc32e8c984')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-nlme', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mime/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mime/package.py
index 55d40c56639..c4d2eb2b3ed 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mime/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mime/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMime(Package):
+class RMime(RPackage):
     """Guesses the MIME type from a filename extension using the data derived
     from /etc/mime.types in UNIX-type systems."""
 
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RMime(Package):
 
     version('0.5', '87e00b6d57b581465c19ae869a723c4d')
     version('0.4', '789cb33e41db2206c6fc7c3e9fbc2c02')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-minqa/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-minqa/package.py
index a38f00f9abb..211694cc380 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-minqa/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-minqa/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMinqa(Package):
+class RMinqa(RPackage):
     """Derivative-free optimization by quadratic approximation based on an
     interface to Fortran implementations by M. J. D. Powell."""
 
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RMinqa(Package):
 
     version('1.2.4', 'bcaae4fdba60a33528f2116e2fd51105')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-multcomp/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-multcomp/package.py
index b32bea62496..c24f74de381 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-multcomp/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-multcomp/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMultcomp(Package):
+class RMultcomp(RPackage):
     """Simultaneous tests and confidence intervals for general linear
     hypotheses in parametric models, including linear, generalized linear,
     linear mixed effects, and survival models. The package includes demos
@@ -38,14 +38,8 @@ class RMultcomp(Package):
 
     version('1.4-6', 'f1353ede2ed78b23859a7f1f1f9ebe88')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-mvtnorm', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-survival', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-thdata', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-sandwich', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-codetools', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-munsell/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-munsell/package.py
index 4250b00ec20..acc126a960e 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-munsell/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-munsell/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMunsell(Package):
+class RMunsell(RPackage):
     """Provides easy access to, and manipulation of, the Munsell colours.
     Provides a mapping between Munsell's original notation (e.g. "5R 5/10") and
     hexadecimal strings suitable for use directly in R graphics. Also provides
@@ -38,10 +38,4 @@ class RMunsell(Package):
 
     version('0.4.3', 'ebd205323dc37c948f499ee08be9c476')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-colorspace', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mvtnorm/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mvtnorm/package.py
index 956ae6bc44c..01e3aea91df 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mvtnorm/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-mvtnorm/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RMvtnorm(Package):
+class RMvtnorm(RPackage):
     """Computes multivariate normal and t probabilities, quantiles, random
     deviates and densities."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RMvtnorm(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/mvtnorm"
 
     version('1.0-5', '5894dd3969bbfa26f4862c45f9a48a52')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ncdf4/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ncdf4/package.py
index 3949967022e..597f4d903f5 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ncdf4/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ncdf4/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RNcdf4(Package):
+class RNcdf4(RPackage):
     """Provides a high-level R interface to data files written using Unidata's
     netCDF library (version 4 or earlier), which are binary data files that are
     portable across platforms and include metadata information in addition to
@@ -47,10 +47,4 @@ class RNcdf4(Package):
 
     version('1.15', 'cd60dadbae3be31371e1ed40ddeb420a')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('netcdf')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-networkd3/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-networkd3/package.py
index 2374b78d7bd..fafd3b3ddee 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-networkd3/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-networkd3/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RNetworkd3(Package):
+class RNetworkd3(RPackage):
     """Creates 'D3' 'JavaScript' network, tree, dendrogram, and Sankey graphs
     from 'R'."""
 
@@ -35,12 +35,6 @@ class RNetworkd3(Package):
 
     version('0.2.12', '356fe4be59698e6fb052644bd9659d84')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-htmlwidgets', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-igraph', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-magrittr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nlme/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nlme/package.py
index 02a0836fd8f..3c9056ec669 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nlme/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nlme/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RNlme(Package):
+class RNlme(RPackage):
     """Fit and compare Gaussian linear and nonlinear mixed-effects models."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=nlme"
@@ -34,10 +34,4 @@ class RNlme(Package):
 
     version('3.1-128', '3d75ae7380bf123761b95a073eb55008')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-lattice', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nloptr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nloptr/package.py
index 8b5e947710f..8da84c5814c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nloptr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nloptr/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RNloptr(Package):
+class RNloptr(RPackage):
     """nloptr is an R interface to NLopt. NLopt is a free/open-source library
     for nonlinear optimization, providing a common interface for a number of
     different free optimization routines available online as well as original
@@ -39,9 +39,3 @@ class RNloptr(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/nloptr"
 
     version('1.0.4', '9af69a613349b236fd377d0a107f484c')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nmf/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nmf/package.py
index e33a9364d43..59defb441a7 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nmf/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nmf/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RNmf(Package):
+class RNmf(RPackage):
     """Provides a framework to perform Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF).
     The package implements a set of already published algorithms and seeding
     methods, and provides a framework to test, develop and plug new/custom
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ class RNmf(Package):
 
     version('0.20.6', '81df07b3bf710a611db5af24730ff3d0')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-pkgmaker', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-registry', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rngtools', type=nolink)
@@ -54,7 +52,3 @@ class RNmf(Package):
     depends_on('r-doparallel', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-ggplot2', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-reshape2', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nnet/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nnet/package.py
index 6f5e7d65040..eeb6f910341 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nnet/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-nnet/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RNnet(Package):
+class RNnet(RPackage):
     """Software for feed-forward neural networks with a single hidden layer,
     and for multinomial log-linear models."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RNnet(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/nnet"
 
     version('7.3-12', 'dc7c6f0d0de53d8fc72b44554400a74e')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-np/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-np/package.py
index 1ee6105576f..924472b5265 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-np/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-np/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RNp(Package):
+class RNp(RPackage):
     """This package provides a variety of nonparametric (and semiparametric)
     kernel methods that seamlessly handle a mix of continuous, unordered, and
     ordered factor data types. We would like to gratefully acknowledge support
@@ -40,11 +40,5 @@ class RNp(Package):
 
     version('0.60-2', 'e094d52ddff7280272b41e6cb2c74389')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-boot', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-cubature', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-openssl/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-openssl/package.py
index f5442b102fb..bf9f38be723 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-openssl/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-openssl/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class ROpenssl(Package):
+class ROpenssl(RPackage):
     """Bindings to OpenSSL libssl and libcrypto, plus custom SSH pubkey
     parsers. Supports RSA, DSA and EC curves P-256, P-384 and P-521.
     Cryptographic signatures can either be created and verified manually or via
@@ -43,10 +43,4 @@ class ROpenssl(Package):
 
     version('0.9.4', '82a890e71ed0e74499878bedacfb8ccb')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('openssl')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-packrat/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-packrat/package.py
index f978b9f7797..726a6640e81 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-packrat/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-packrat/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RPackrat(Package):
+class RPackrat(RPackage):
     """Manage the R packages your project depends on in an isolated, portable,
     and reproducible way."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RPackrat(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/packrat"
 
     version('0.4.7-1', '80c2413269b292ade163a70ba5053e84')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-partykit/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-partykit/package.py
index ab994ce4d26..70dac90d998 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-partykit/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-partykit/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RPartykit(Package):
+class RPartykit(RPackage):
     """A toolkit with infrastructure for representing, summarizing, and
     visualizing tree-structured regression and classification models. This
     unified infrastructure can be used for reading/coercing tree models from
@@ -42,11 +42,5 @@ class RPartykit(Package):
 
     version('1.1-1', '8fcb31d73ec1b8cd3bcd9789639a9277')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-survival', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-formula', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pbdzmq/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pbdzmq/package.py
index e6c546e9211..02b1073ab41 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pbdzmq/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pbdzmq/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RPbdzmq(Package):
+class RPbdzmq(RPackage):
     """'ZeroMQ' is a well-known library for high-performance asynchronous
     messaging in scalable, distributed applications. This package provides
     high level R wrapper functions to easily utilize 'ZeroMQ'. We mainly focus
@@ -41,11 +41,5 @@ class RPbdzmq(Package):
 
     version('0.2-4', 'e5afb70199aa54d737ee7a0e26bde060')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-r6', type=nolink)
     depends_on('zeromq')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pbkrtest/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pbkrtest/package.py
index 0bd749abe1c..6910cad38bc 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pbkrtest/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pbkrtest/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RPbkrtest(Package):
+class RPbkrtest(RPackage):
     """Test in mixed effects models. Attention is on mixed effects models as
     implemented in the 'lme4' package. This package implements a parametric
     bootstrap test and a Kenward Roger modification of F-tests for linear mixed
@@ -38,12 +38,6 @@ class RPbkrtest(Package):
 
     version('0.4-6', '0a7d9ff83b8d131af9b2335f35781ef9')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-lme4', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-mass', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pkgmaker/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pkgmaker/package.py
index 5c9e5496e71..4f193bc8e4e 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pkgmaker/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pkgmaker/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RPkgmaker(Package):
+class RPkgmaker(RPackage):
     """This package provides some low-level utilities to use for package
     development. It currently provides managers for multiple package specific
     options and registries, vignette, unit test and bibtex related utilities.
@@ -40,14 +40,8 @@ class RPkgmaker(Package):
 
     version('0.22', '73a0c6d3e84c6dadf3de7582ef7e88a4')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-registry', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-codetools', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-stringr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-xtable', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-plotrix/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-plotrix/package.py
index ec02193d403..8a17c72f912 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-plotrix/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-plotrix/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RPlotrix(Package):
+class RPlotrix(RPackage):
     """Lots of plots, various labeling, axis and color scaling functions."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=plotrix"
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RPlotrix(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/plotrix"
 
     version('3.6-3', '23e3e022a13a596e9b77b40afcb4a2ef')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-plyr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-plyr/package.py
index cc9c19b98ac..229d5177c05 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-plyr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-plyr/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RPlyr(Package):
+class RPlyr(RPackage):
     """A set of tools that solves a common set of problems: you need to break a
     big problem down into manageable pieces, operate on each piece and then put
     all the pieces back together. For example, you might want to fit a model to
@@ -40,10 +40,4 @@ class RPlyr(Package):
 
     version('1.8.4', 'ef455cf7fc06e34837692156b7b2587b')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-png/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-png/package.py
index aa3d4f3c69a..38b7ae5138b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-png/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-png/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RPng(Package):
+class RPng(RPackage):
     """This package provides an easy and simple way to read, write and display
     bitmap images stored in the PNG format. It can read and write both files
     and in-memory raw vectors."""
@@ -36,10 +36,4 @@ class RPng(Package):
 
     version('0.1-7', '1ebc8b8aa5979b12c5ec2384b30d649f')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('libpng')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-praise/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-praise/package.py
index dba2289311e..ff23594af99 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-praise/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-praise/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RPraise(Package):
+class RPraise(RPackage):
     """Build friendly R packages that praise their users if they have done
     something good, or they just need it to feel better."""
 
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RPraise(Package):
     url      = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/praise_1.0.0.tar.gz"
 
     version('1.0.0', '9318724cec0454884b5f762bee2da6a1')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-proto/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-proto/package.py
index 109ea5fe4f8..2553e325f39 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-proto/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-proto/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RProto(Package):
+class RProto(RPackage):
     """An object oriented system using object-based, also called
     prototype-based, rather than class-based object oriented ideas."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RProto(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/proto"
 
     version('0.3-10', 'd5523943a5be6ca2f0ab557c900f8212')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pryr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pryr/package.py
index e9cbab3878a..703a6f788fe 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pryr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-pryr/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RPryr(Package):
+class RPryr(RPackage):
     """Useful tools to pry back the covers of R and understand the language
     at a deeper level."""
 
@@ -36,11 +36,5 @@ class RPryr(Package):
 
     version('0.1.2', '66b597a762aa15a3b7037779522983b6')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-stringr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-quantmod/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-quantmod/package.py
index bf27e1a41bc..e0276ef6d80 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-quantmod/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-quantmod/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RQuantmod(Package):
+class RQuantmod(RPackage):
     """Specify, build, trade, and analyse quantitative financial trading
     strategies."""
 
@@ -35,12 +35,6 @@ class RQuantmod(Package):
 
     version('0.4-5', 'cab3c409e4de3df98a20f1ded60f3631')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-xts', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-zoo', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-ttr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-quantreg/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-quantreg/package.py
index 81aa242ee81..248ab28e41e 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-quantreg/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-quantreg/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RQuantreg(Package):
+class RQuantreg(RPackage):
     """Estimation and inference methods for models of conditional quantiles:
         Linear and nonlinear parametric and non-parametric (total variation
         penalized) models for conditional quantiles of a univariate response
@@ -39,12 +39,6 @@ class RQuantreg(Package):
 
     version('5.26', '1d89ed932fb4d67ae2d5da0eb8c2989f')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-sparsem', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-matrixmodels', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-r6/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-r6/package.py
index cb5593f6fc5..e64a8a65324 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-r6/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-r6/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RR6(Package):
+class RR6(RPackage):
     """The R6 package allows the creation of classes with reference semantics,
     similar to R's built-in reference classes. Compared to reference classes,
     R6 classes are simpler and lighter-weight, and they are not built on S4
@@ -38,9 +38,3 @@ class RR6(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/R6"
 
     version('2.1.2', 'b6afb9430e48707be87638675390e457')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-randomforest/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-randomforest/package.py
index 4d56210c99d..bc7798695dc 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-randomforest/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-randomforest/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRandomforest(Package):
+class RRandomforest(RPackage):
     """Classification and regression based on a forest of trees using random
     inputs."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RRandomforest(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/randomForest"
 
     version('4.6-12', '071c03af974198e861f1475c5bab9e7a')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-raster/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-raster/package.py
index 017838428cd..02b121566e2 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-raster/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-raster/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRaster(Package):
+class RRaster(RPackage):
     """Reading, writing, manipulating, analyzing and modeling of gridded
     spatial data. The package implements basic and high-level functions.
     Processing of very large files is supported."""
@@ -36,11 +36,5 @@ class RRaster(Package):
 
     version('2.5-8', '2a7db931c74d50516e82d04687c0a577')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-sp', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rbokeh/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rbokeh/package.py
index c410acaba2c..168e8bf7654 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rbokeh/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rbokeh/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRbokeh(Package):
+class RRbokeh(RPackage):
     """R interface for creating plots in Bokeh. Bokeh by Continuum
     Analytics."""
 
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ class RRbokeh(Package):
 
     version('0.5.0', '4e14778c3fbd9286460ca28c68f57d10')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-htmlwidgets', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-maps', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
@@ -49,7 +47,3 @@ class RRbokeh(Package):
     depends_on('r-ggplot2', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-scales', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-gistr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcolorbrewer/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcolorbrewer/package.py
index 4734a1674f9..59f134caad9 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcolorbrewer/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcolorbrewer/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRcolorbrewer(Package):
+class RRcolorbrewer(RPackage):
     """Provides color schemes for maps (and other graphics) designed by Cynthia
     Brewer as described at http://colorbrewer2.org"""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RRcolorbrewer(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/RColorBrewer"
 
     version('1.1-2', '66054d83eade4dff8a43ad4732691182')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcpp/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcpp/package.py
index 1637faca030..b447dea8bdd 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcpp/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcpp/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRcpp(Package):
+class RRcpp(RPackage):
     """The 'Rcpp' package provides R functions as well as C++ classes which
     offer a seamless integration of R and C++. Many R data types and objects
     can be mapped back and forth to C++ equivalents which facilitates both
@@ -42,9 +42,3 @@ class RRcpp(Package):
 
     version('0.12.6', 'db4280fb0a79cd19be73a662c33b0a8b')
     version('0.12.5', 'f03ec05b4e391cc46e7ce330e82ff5e2')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcppeigen/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcppeigen/package.py
index f0aebb54f0c..d407a99b48e 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcppeigen/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rcppeigen/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRcppeigen(Package):
+class RRcppeigen(RPackage):
     """R and 'Eigen' integration using 'Rcpp'. 'Eigen' is a C++ template
     library for linear algebra: matrices, vectors, numerical solvers and
     related algorithms. It supports dense and sparse matrices on integer,
@@ -46,11 +46,5 @@ class RRcppeigen(Package):
 
     version('0.3.2.8.1', '4146e06e4fdf7f4d08db7839069d479f')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-registry/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-registry/package.py
index 89402cfbff4..479250cac6b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-registry/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-registry/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRegistry(Package):
+class RRegistry(RPackage):
     """Provides a generic infrastructure for creating and using registries."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/registry/index.html"
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RRegistry(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/registry"
 
     version('0.3', '85345b334ec81eb3da6edcbb27c5f421')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-repr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-repr/package.py
index 11d43cf7ea4..47720327de2 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-repr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-repr/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRepr(Package):
+class RRepr(RPackage):
     """String and binary representations of objects for several formats and
     mime types."""
 
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RRepr(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/repr"
 
     version('0.9', 'db5ff74893063b492f684e42283070bd')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-reshape2/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-reshape2/package.py
index 1fd8067bbec..129198d14fa 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-reshape2/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-reshape2/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RReshape2(Package):
+class RReshape2(RPackage):
     """Flexibly restructure and aggregate data using just two functions: melt
     and dcast (or acast)."""
 
@@ -35,12 +35,6 @@ class RReshape2(Package):
 
     version('1.4.1', '41e9dffdf5c6fa830321ac9c8ebffe00')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-plyr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-stringr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rgooglemaps/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rgooglemaps/package.py
index 0e0d94a3d3b..4dd2cd9867e 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rgooglemaps/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rgooglemaps/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRgooglemaps(Package):
+class RRgooglemaps(RPackage):
     """This package serves two purposes: (i) Provide a comfortable R interface
     to query the Google server for static maps, and (ii) Use the map as a
     background image to overlay plots within R. This requires proper coordinate
@@ -37,11 +37,5 @@ class RRgooglemaps(Package):
 
     version('1.2.0.7', '2e1df804f0331b4122d841105f0c7ea5')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-png', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rjsonio', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rinside/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rinside/package.py
index e18fc2499c1..8e2a802eecd 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rinside/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rinside/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRinside(Package):
+class RRinside(RPackage):
     """C++ classes to embed R in C++ applications The 'RInside' packages makes
     it easier to have "R inside" your C++ application by providing a C++
     wrapperclass providing the R interpreter. As R itself is embedded into
@@ -48,10 +48,4 @@ class RRinside(Package):
 
     version('0.2.13', '2e3c35a7bd648e9bef98d0afcc02cf88')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjava/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjava/package.py
index e1de4b77ff6..440b93ff1f4 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjava/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjava/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRjava(Package):
+class RRjava(RPackage):
     """Low-level interface to Java VM very much like .C/.Call and friends.
     Allows creation of objects, calling methods and accessing fields."""
 
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RRjava(Package):
 
     version('0.9-8', '51ae0d690ceed056ebe7c4be71fc6c7a')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('jdk')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjson/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjson/package.py
index db25a92916f..f37b5743236 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjson/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjson/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRjson(Package):
+class RRjson(RPackage):
     """Converts R object into JSON objects and vice-versa."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=rjson"
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RRjson(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/rjson"
 
     version('0.2.15', '87d0e29bc179c6aeaf312b138089f8e9')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjsonio/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjsonio/package.py
index a62f17abf76..4d5ffa6ddf6 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjsonio/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rjsonio/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRjsonio(Package):
+class RRjsonio(RPackage):
     """This is a package that allows conversion to and from data in Javascript
     object notation (JSON) format. This allows R objects to be inserted into
     Javascript/ECMAScript/ActionScript code and allows R programmers to read
@@ -47,9 +47,3 @@ class RRjsonio(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/RJSONIO"
 
     version('1.3-0', '72c395622ba8d1435ec43849fd32c830')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rmarkdown/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rmarkdown/package.py
index c65ff7df9b9..2200ee18ecf 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rmarkdown/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rmarkdown/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRmarkdown(Package):
+class RRmarkdown(RPackage):
     """Convert R Markdown documents into a variety of formats."""
 
     homepage = "http://rmarkdown.rstudio.com/"
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ class RRmarkdown(Package):
 
     version('1.0', '264aa6a59e9680109e38df8270e14c58')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-knitr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-yaml', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-htmltools', type=nolink)
@@ -44,7 +42,3 @@ class RRmarkdown(Package):
     depends_on('r-evaluate', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-base64enc', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rmysql/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rmysql/package.py
index 4164dd37219..fd386472203 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rmysql/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rmysql/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRmysql(Package):
+class RRmysql(RPackage):
     """Implements 'DBI' Interface to 'MySQL' and 'MariaDB' Databases."""
 
     homepage = "https://github.com/rstats-db/rmysql"
@@ -34,11 +34,5 @@ class RRmysql(Package):
 
     version('0.10.9', '3628200a1864ac3005cfd55cc7cde17a')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-dbi', type=nolink)
     depends_on('mariadb')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rngtools/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rngtools/package.py
index 2c06306f317..b2b5e528619 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rngtools/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rngtools/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRngtools(Package):
+class RRngtools(RPackage):
     """This package contains a set of functions for working with Random Number
     Generators (RNGs). In particular, it defines a generic S4 framework for
     getting/setting the current RNG, or RNG data that are embedded into objects
@@ -38,12 +38,6 @@ class RRngtools(Package):
 
     version('1.2.4', '715967f8b3af2848a76593a7c718c1cd')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-pkgmaker', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-stringr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rodbc/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rodbc/package.py
index af142c841ab..70e477bcb17 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rodbc/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rodbc/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRodbc(Package):
+class RRodbc(RPackage):
     """An ODBC database interface."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.rstudio.com/web/packages/RODBC/"
@@ -34,10 +34,4 @@ class RRodbc(Package):
 
     version('1.3-13', 'c52ef9139c2ed85adc53ad6effa7d68e')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('unixodbc')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-roxygen2/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-roxygen2/package.py
index 1c017d78982..1d3b3fa1f6c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-roxygen2/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-roxygen2/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRoxygen2(Package):
+class RRoxygen2(RPackage):
     """A 'Doxygen'-like in-source documentation system for Rd, collation, and
     'NAMESPACE' files."""
 
@@ -35,14 +35,8 @@ class RRoxygen2(Package):
 
     version('5.0.1', 'df5bdbc12fda372e427710ef1cd92ed7')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-stringr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-stringi', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-brew', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rpostgresql/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rpostgresql/package.py
index 3f7b64693fd..227f7e9ce5a 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rpostgresql/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rpostgresql/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRpostgresql(Package):
+class RRpostgresql(RPackage):
     """Database interface and PostgreSQL driver for R This package provides a
     Database Interface (DBI) compliant driver for R to access PostgreSQL
     database systems. In order to build and install this package from source,
@@ -42,11 +42,5 @@ class RRpostgresql(Package):
 
     version('0.4-1', 'e7b22e212afbb2cbb88bab937f93e55a')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-dbi', type=nolink)
     depends_on('postgresql')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rsnns/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rsnns/package.py
index fad75827d4a..d707f5f5424 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rsnns/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rsnns/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRsnns(Package):
+class RRsnns(RPackage):
     """The Stuttgart Neural Network Simulator (SNNS) is a library containing
     many standard implementations of neural networks. This package wraps the
     SNNS functionality to make it available from within R. Using the RSNNS
@@ -41,10 +41,4 @@ class RRsnns(Package):
 
     version('0.4-7', 'ade7736611c456effb5f72e0ce0a1e6f')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rsqlite/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rsqlite/package.py
index a22421ed87a..f0904054084 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rsqlite/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rsqlite/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRsqlite(Package):
+class RRsqlite(RPackage):
     """This package embeds the SQLite database engine in R and provides an
     interface compliant with the DBI package. The source for the SQLite engine
     (version 3.8.6) is included."""
@@ -36,10 +36,4 @@ class RRsqlite(Package):
 
     version('1.0.0', 'e6cbe2709612b687c13a10d30c7bad45')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-dbi', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rstan/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rstan/package.py
index 4f580d7853d..26a040c3633 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rstan/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rstan/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRstan(Package):
+class RRstan(RPackage):
     """User-facing R functions are provided to parse, compile, test, estimate,
     and analyze Stan models by accessing the header-only Stan library provided
     by the 'StanHeaders' package. The Stan project develops a probabilistic
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ class RRstan(Package):
 
     version('2.10.1', 'f5d212f6f8551bdb91fe713d05d4052a')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-ggplot2', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-stanheaders', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-inline', type=nolink)
@@ -51,7 +49,3 @@ class RRstan(Package):
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcppeigen', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-bh', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rstudioapi/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rstudioapi/package.py
index 1a20fc226b5..2558a5c3f69 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rstudioapi/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rstudioapi/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRstudioapi(Package):
+class RRstudioapi(RPackage):
     """Access the RStudio API (if available) and provide informative error
     messages when it's not."""
 
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RRstudioapi(Package):
 
     version('0.6', 'fdb13bf46aab02421557e713fceab66b')
     version('0.5', '6ce1191da74e7bcbf06b61339486b3ba')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rzmq/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rzmq/package.py
index d013c8889c9..f385a139016 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rzmq/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-rzmq/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RRzmq(Package):
+class RRzmq(RPackage):
     """Interface to the ZeroMQ lightweight messaging kernel."""
 
     homepage = "http://github.com/armstrtw/rzmq"
@@ -36,9 +36,3 @@ class RRzmq(Package):
     version('0.7.7', '8ba18fd1c222d1eb25bb622ccd2897e0')
 
     depends_on('zeromq')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sandwich/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sandwich/package.py
index a9d39d37f9d..248f09c614c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sandwich/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sandwich/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RSandwich(Package):
+class RSandwich(RPackage):
     """Model-robust standard error estimators for cross-sectional, time series,
     and longitudinal data."""
 
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RSandwich(Package):
 
     version('2.3-4', 'a621dbd8a57b6e1e036496642aadc2e5')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-zoo', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-scales/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-scales/package.py
index 0072de8f5f6..174b7d7d6e2 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-scales/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-scales/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RScales(Package):
+class RScales(RPackage):
     """Graphical scales map data to aesthetics, and provide methods for
     automatically determining breaks and labels for axes and legends."""
 
@@ -35,15 +35,9 @@ class RScales(Package):
 
     version('0.4.0', '7b5602d9c55595901192248bca25c099')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-rcolorbrewer', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-dichromat', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-plyr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-munsell', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-labeling', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-shiny/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-shiny/package.py
index 4617e8a0b22..4c357bdc305 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-shiny/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-shiny/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RShiny(Package):
+class RShiny(RPackage):
     """Makes it incredibly easy to build interactive web applications with R.
     Automatic "reactive" binding between inputs and outputs and extensive
     pre-built widgets make it possible to build beautiful, responsive, and
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ class RShiny(Package):
 
     version('0.13.2', 'cb5bff7a28ad59ec2883cd0912ca9611')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-httpuv', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-mime', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
@@ -46,7 +44,3 @@ class RShiny(Package):
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-htmltools', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-r6', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sp/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sp/package.py
index ecb75203bb4..19ce2ee9125 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sp/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sp/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RSp(Package):
+class RSp(RPackage):
     """Classes and methods for spatial data; the classes document where the
     spatial location information resides, for 2D or 3D data. Utility functions
     are provided, e.g. for plotting data as maps, spatial selection, as well as
@@ -37,10 +37,4 @@ class RSp(Package):
 
     version('1.2-3', 'f0e24d993dec128642ee66b6b47b10c1')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-lattice', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sparsem/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sparsem/package.py
index 1bd8835d5a5..370497e395d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sparsem/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-sparsem/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RSparsem(Package):
+class RSparsem(RPackage):
     """Some basic linear algebra functionality for sparse matrices is provided:
         including Cholesky decomposition and backsolving as well as standard R
         subsetting and Kronecker products."""
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RSparsem(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/SparseM"
 
     version('1.7', '7b5b0ab166a0929ef6dcfe1d97643601')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stanheaders/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stanheaders/package.py
index 681969f18da..322356e347b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stanheaders/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stanheaders/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RStanheaders(Package):
+class RStanheaders(RPackage):
     """The C++ header files of the Stan project are provided by this package,
     but it contains no R code, vignettes, or function documentation. There is a
     shared object containing part of the CVODES library, but it is not
@@ -47,9 +47,3 @@ class RStanheaders(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/StanHeaders"
 
     version('2.10.0-2', '9d09b1e9278f08768f7a988ad9082d57')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stringi/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stringi/package.py
index 5a5f4ee18a7..d89238f3d73 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stringi/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stringi/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RStringi(Package):
+class RStringi(RPackage):
     """Allows for fast, correct, consistent, portable, as well as convenient
     character string/text processing in every locale and any native encoding.
     Owing to the use of the ICU library, the package provides R users with
@@ -42,10 +42,4 @@ class RStringi(Package):
 
     version('1.1.1', '32b919ee3fa8474530c4942962a6d8d9')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('icu4c')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stringr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stringr/package.py
index 43bae9bbf07..5f9f05df31d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stringr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-stringr/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RStringr(Package):
+class RStringr(RPackage):
     """A consistent, simple and easy to use set of wrappers around the
     fantastic 'stringi' package. All function and argument names (and
     positions) are consistent, all functions deal with "NA"'s and zero length
@@ -38,11 +38,5 @@ class RStringr(Package):
 
     version('1.0.0', '5ca977c90351f78b1b888b379114a7b4')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-stringi', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-magrittr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-survey/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-survey/package.py
index 619f22cb59a..249cad81785 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-survey/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-survey/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RSurvey(Package):
+class RSurvey(RPackage):
     """Summary statistics, two-sample tests, rank tests, generalised linear
     models, cumulative link models, Cox models, loglinear models, and general
     maximum pseudolikelihood estimation for multistage stratified,
@@ -39,9 +39,3 @@ class RSurvey(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/survey"
 
     version('3.30-3', 'c70cdae9cb43d35abddd11173d64cad0')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-survival/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-survival/package.py
index 71652c2bcc5..44d5043189c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-survival/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-survival/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RSurvival(Package):
+class RSurvival(RPackage):
     """Contains the core survival analysis routines, including definition of
     Surv objects, Kaplan-Meier and Aalen-Johansen (multi-state) curves, Cox
     models, and parametric accelerated failure time models."""
@@ -36,10 +36,4 @@ class RSurvival(Package):
 
     version('2.39-5', 'a3cc6b5762e8c5c0bb9e64a276710be2')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tarifx/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tarifx/package.py
index a6b5fbddd34..0703c0f5f0c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tarifx/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tarifx/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RTarifx(Package):
+class RTarifx(RPackage):
     """A collection of various utility and convenience functions."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=taRifx"
@@ -34,11 +34,5 @@ class RTarifx(Package):
 
     version('1.0.6', '7e782e04bd69d929b29f91553382e6a2')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-reshape2', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-plyr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-testit/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-testit/package.py
index 2f2b0f3c4fa..4d99c388e68 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-testit/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-testit/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RTestit(Package):
+class RTestit(RPackage):
     """Provides two convenience functions assert() and test_pkg() to facilitate
     testing R packages."""
 
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RTestit(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/testit"
 
     version('0.5', 'f206d3cbdc5174e353d2d05ba6a12e59')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-testthat/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-testthat/package.py
index 8d4d1741289..7589909b3b0 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-testthat/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-testthat/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RTestthat(Package):
+class RTestthat(RPackage):
     """A unit testing system designed to be fun, flexible and easy to set
     up."""
 
@@ -35,14 +35,8 @@ class RTestthat(Package):
 
     version('1.0.2', '6c6a90c8db860292df5784a70e07b8dc')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-digest', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-crayon', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-praise', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-magrittr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-r6', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-thdata/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-thdata/package.py
index a389da3045d..4639b7f5ae4 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-thdata/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-thdata/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RThdata(Package):
+class RThdata(RPackage):
     """Contains data sets used in other packages Torsten Hothorn maintains."""
 
     homepage = "https://cran.r-project.org/package=TH.data"
@@ -34,11 +34,5 @@ class RThdata(Package):
 
     version('1.0-7', '3e8b6b1a4699544f175215aed7039a94')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-survival', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-mass', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-threejs/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-threejs/package.py
index e3aa271b3ec..a525425fa3d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-threejs/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-threejs/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RThreejs(Package):
+class RThreejs(RPackage):
     """Create interactive 3D scatter plots, network plots, and globes using the
     'three.js' visualization library ("http://threejs.org")."""
 
@@ -35,13 +35,7 @@ class RThreejs(Package):
 
     version('0.2.2', '35c179b10813c5e4bd3e7827fae6627b')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-htmlwidgets', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-base64enc', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tibble/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tibble/package.py
index 6d59a401477..47355cc4515 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tibble/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tibble/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RTibble(Package):
+class RTibble(RPackage):
     """Provides a 'tbl_df' class that offers better checking and printing
     capabilities than traditional data frames."""
 
@@ -35,12 +35,6 @@ class RTibble(Package):
 
     version('1.1', '2fe9f806109d0b7fadafb1ffafea4cb8')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-assertthat', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-lazyeval', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tidyr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tidyr/package.py
index c83d75b6fde..c7ac3d3225e 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tidyr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-tidyr/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RTidyr(Package):
+class RTidyr(RPackage):
     """An evolution of 'reshape2'. It's designed specifically for data tidying
     (not general reshaping or aggregating) and works well with 'dplyr' data
     pipelines."""
@@ -36,14 +36,9 @@ class RTidyr(Package):
 
     version('0.5.1', '3cadc869510c054ed93d374ab44120bd')
 
-    extends('r')
     depends_on('r-tibble', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-dplyr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-stringi', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-lazyeval', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-magrittr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rcpp', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ttr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ttr/package.py
index 355ba6ca3cf..98f4a0e4503 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ttr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-ttr/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RTtr(Package):
+class RTtr(RPackage):
     """Functions and data to construct technical trading rules with R."""
 
     homepage = "https://github.com/joshuaulrich/TTR"
@@ -34,11 +34,5 @@ class RTtr(Package):
 
     version('0.23-1', '35f693ac0d97e8ec742ebea2da222986')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-xts', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-zoo', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-uuid/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-uuid/package.py
index 9a2455017be..b9dcc12629f 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-uuid/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-uuid/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RUuid(Package):
+class RUuid(RPackage):
     """Tools for generating and handling of UUIDs (Universally Unique
     Identifiers)."""
 
@@ -35,9 +35,3 @@ class RUuid(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.rstudio.com/src/contrib/Archive/uuid"
 
     version('0.1-2', 'f97d000c0b16bca455fb5bf2cd668ddf')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-vcd/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-vcd/package.py
index f7c0b253692..0e16260d0f4 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-vcd/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-vcd/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RVcd(Package):
+class RVcd(RPackage):
     """Visualization techniques, data sets, summary and inference procedures
     aimed particularly at categorical data. Special emphasis is given to highly
     extensible grid graphics. The package was package was originally inspired
@@ -39,12 +39,6 @@ class RVcd(Package):
 
     version('1.4-1', '7db150a77f173f85b69a1f86f73f8f02')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-mass', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-colorspace', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-lmtest', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-visnetwork/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-visnetwork/package.py
index 6cce369325d..81be9fb5c29 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-visnetwork/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-visnetwork/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RVisnetwork(Package):
+class RVisnetwork(RPackage):
     """Provides an R interface to the 'vis.js' JavaScript charting library. It
     allows an interactive visualization of networks."""
 
@@ -35,13 +35,7 @@ class RVisnetwork(Package):
 
     version('1.0.1', 'dfc9664a5165134d8dbdcd949ad73cf7')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-htmlwidgets', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-htmltools', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-jsonlite', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-magrittr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-whisker/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-whisker/package.py
index 8edea7e840a..17f904f5c3c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-whisker/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-whisker/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RWhisker(Package):
+class RWhisker(RPackage):
     """logicless templating, reuse templates in many programming languages
     including R"""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RWhisker(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/whisker"
 
     version('0.3-2', 'c4b9bf9a22e69ce003fe68663ab5e8e6')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-withr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-withr/package.py
index 92b941b32fa..785050ed873 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-withr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-withr/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RWithr(Package):
+class RWithr(RPackage):
     """A set of functions to run code 'with' safely and temporarily modified
     global state. Many of these functions were originally a part of the
     'devtools' package, this provides a simple package with limited
@@ -36,9 +36,3 @@ class RWithr(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/withr"
 
     version('1.0.1', 'ac38af2c6f74027c9592dd8f0acb7598')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xgboost/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xgboost/package.py
index 586a99f76f7..dfa9928ee3f 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xgboost/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xgboost/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RXgboost(Package):
+class RXgboost(RPackage):
     """Extreme Gradient Boosting, which is an efficient implementation of
     gradient boosting framework. This package is its R interface. The package
     includes efficient linear model solver and tree learning algorithms. The
@@ -42,13 +42,7 @@ class RXgboost(Package):
 
     version('0.4-4', 'c24d3076058101a71de4b8af8806697c')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-matrix', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-datatable', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-magrittr', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-stringr', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlconnect/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlconnect/package.py
index 64b95f84e0c..cdb8dbce3f3 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlconnect/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlconnect/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RXlconnect(Package):
+class RXlconnect(RPackage):
     """Provides comprehensive functionality to read, write and format Excel
     data."""
 
@@ -36,11 +36,5 @@ class RXlconnect(Package):
     version('0.2-12', '3340d05d259f0a41262eab4ed32617ad')
     version('0.2-11', '9d1769a103cda05665df399cc335017d')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-xlconnectjars', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-rjava', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlconnectjars/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlconnectjars/package.py
index 37dbed27839..46068475127 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlconnectjars/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlconnectjars/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RXlconnectjars(Package):
+class RXlconnectjars(RPackage):
     """Provides external JAR dependencies for the XLConnect package."""
 
     homepage = "http://miraisolutions.wordpress.com/"
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RXlconnectjars(Package):
     version('0.2-12', '6984e5140cd1c887c017ef6f88cbba81')
     version('0.2-9', 'e6d6b1acfede26acaa616ee421bd30fb')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-rjava', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlsx/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlsx/package.py
index 4c7b8ee15d6..e7a8b28204c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlsx/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlsx/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RXlsx(Package):
+class RXlsx(RPackage):
     """Provide R functions to read/write/format Excel 2007 and Excel
     97/2000/XP/2003 file formats."""
 
@@ -35,11 +35,5 @@ class RXlsx(Package):
 
     version('0.5.7', '36b1b16f29c54b6089b1dae923180dd5')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-rjava', type=nolink)
     depends_on('r-xlsxjars', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlsxjars/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlsxjars/package.py
index 22bda6e83f4..972ac4b5573 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlsxjars/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xlsxjars/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RXlsxjars(Package):
+class RXlsxjars(RPackage):
     """The xlsxjars package collects all the external jars required for the
     xlxs package. This release corresponds to POI 3.10.1."""
 
@@ -35,10 +35,4 @@ class RXlsxjars(Package):
 
     version('0.6.1', '5a1721d5733cb42f3a29e3f353e39166')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-rjava', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xml/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xml/package.py
index 416491cbe6d..2fe2a8a05b8 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xml/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xml/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RXml(Package):
+class RXml(RPackage):
     """Many approaches for both reading and creating XML (and HTML) documents
     (including DTDs), both local and accessible via HTTP or FTP. Also offers
     access to an 'XPath' "interpreter"."""
@@ -37,10 +37,4 @@ class RXml(Package):
     version('3.98-1.5', 'd1cfcd56f7aec96a84ffca91aea507ee')
     version('3.98-1.4', '1a7f3ce6f264eeb109bfa57bedb26c14')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('libxml2')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xtable/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xtable/package.py
index 8c675e1b3bb..66d8687b6dd 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xtable/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xtable/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RXtable(Package):
+class RXtable(RPackage):
     """Coerce data to LaTeX and HTML tables."""
 
     homepage = "http://xtable.r-forge.r-project.org/"
@@ -33,9 +33,3 @@ class RXtable(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/xtable"
 
     version('1.8-2', '239e4825cd046156a67efae3aac01d86')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xts/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xts/package.py
index 678a9f4bf44..47b3a607202 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xts/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-xts/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RXts(Package):
+class RXts(RPackage):
     """Provide for uniform handling of R's different time-based data classes by
     extending zoo, maximizing native format information preservation and
     allowing for user level customization and extension, while simplifying
@@ -37,10 +37,4 @@ class RXts(Package):
 
     version('0.9-7', 'a232e94aebfa654653a7d88a0503537b')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-zoo', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-yaml/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-yaml/package.py
index d8a3c9bacc9..c812ea8ca26 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-yaml/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-yaml/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RYaml(Package):
+class RYaml(RPackage):
     """This package implements the libyaml YAML 1.1 parser and emitter
     (http://pyyaml.org/wiki/LibYAML) for R."""
 
@@ -34,9 +34,3 @@ class RYaml(Package):
     list_url = "https://cran.r-project.org/src/contrib/Archive/yaml"
 
     version('2.1.13', 'f2203ea395adaff6bd09134666191d9a')
-
-    extends('r')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-zoo/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-zoo/package.py
index 27295c7afcc..ade0e762df4 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-zoo/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r-zoo/package.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from spack import *
 
 
-class RZoo(Package):
+class RZoo(RPackage):
     """An S3 class with methods for totally ordered indexed observations. It is
     particularly aimed at irregular time series of numeric vectors/matrices and
     factors. zoo's key design goals are independence of a particular
@@ -38,10 +38,4 @@ class RZoo(Package):
 
     version('1.7-13', '99521dfa4c668e692720cefcc5a1bf30')
 
-    extends('r')
-
     depends_on('r-lattice', type=nolink)
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        R('CMD', 'INSTALL', '--library={0}'.format(self.module.r_lib_dir),
-          self.stage.source_path)