ASDF for guile (Was Re: guile-lib things)

[Chris Hall]

Andy Wingo <address@hidden> writes:

> I wanted to lay these conflicts out on the table, so that the choices we
> make as distributors/packagers/coders are more coherent (that word
> again!), and so that we can discuss them. Perhaps they are indicative of
> the fundamental problem of guile-lib: it's centralized. Compared to
> something like asdf or CPAN, we're doing too much work. But then unlike
> CL or Perl, Scheme doesn't have a standard module system. Thoughts on

Sorry - I'm a little confused by the terminology here.

By "standard module system" do you mean a standard
distribution/build/install system?  Isn't that what asdf/CPAN do?

IIUC, neither asdf nor CPAN are part of the language, or official in
anyway - they are simply "standard" by way of popularity and common
usage?

> how to decentralize, or the merits of decentralization, are certainly
> welcome.

I'd vote for de-centralized, even though each has its pluses and
minuses.  A de-centralized system would seem to provide more freedom for
the individual developers/packagers/maintainers, and would likely reduce
the time needed to get updates distributed.

This, hopefully, would allowing for faster development, feedback, etc.

On a related note:  how feasible would an 'asdf for guile' be?  Is there
a need for such a thing?

It seems to me that guile is *more* appropriate than lisp for this sort
of task, since guile is already so integrated to its host OS, and
doesn't have to worry nearly as much - if at all - about other guile
'flavors' - lisp has so many different semi-compatible 'flavors' it is a
real issue and constant topic of discussion on c.l.lisp.

I've only recently begun using guile, though I have installed several
'add-ons' already.  I have also used asdf to install lisp software, as
well as asdf's pre-cursor/inspiration 'mk-system'.  (Or was it
'defsystem'?)

Some asdf packages compile C modules they provide for FFI (foreign
function interface) purposes - this certainly seems similar to guile's
capability as an extension language.

It does seem that the amazing 'make' facility in use by so many free (as
in speech) packages is overkill for a lot of purposes, never mind the
challenges of doing a good make procedure.  For guile-only (no C)
packages especially a version of asdf for guile would seem golden.

Hmmm.

+Chris

-- 
Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.
-- Steven Wright (1955 - )

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