R CMD check --outdir=path gives unknown option '--outdir'

http://www.r-project.org/posting-guide.html, to wit

'f you are using an old version of R and think it does not work properly,
upgrade to the latest version and try that, before posting. If possible, try
the current R-patched or R-devel version of R (see the FAQ for details), to
see if the problem has already been addressed.'