Re: Merging the purge-python2-packages branch

[zimoun]

Hi Maxim,

Thanks for this janitor work. :-)


On Tue, 31 May 2022 at 15:07, Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer@gmail.com> wrote:

>> Well, as a hobbyist, I am fine with such purge.  As a scientific
>> practitioner using Guix at work, it is more annoying…
>
> Agreed.  My understanding is that scientists making use of Guix already
> use a variety of Guix channels, so I'd assume the now missing bits can
> be fitted in Guix-Past or a suitable place without causing too much of a
> change to their workflow.

This assumption about scientists is not rooted, IMHO.  What I can say is
that, in my lab, some people are still using python2- variants as ’bamm’
for example.  They are not packager and they have other fishes to fry;
they use Guix to have the things done, they are not hobbyists who like
tweaking their computational environment. :-)

If I do not transfer myself the packages or explain them how to reach
these packages (git log, find the commit, etc. because yes, some people
are still installing python2- variants for some specific tasks), then
they will probably have again another bad experience with Guix.

And no, 15 days is not enough time to move 602 packages (minus the
broken ones ;-)) from master to another channel as guix-past.

Some workflow will be broken, for sure.  Bah it is an habits when using
Guix, sadly. :-)


> So, I'll go ahead with the merge and we can go from there.  In the
> future, I'll try to remember to send a guix-devel message around the
> time the patches hit guix-patches :-).

Again, I totally agree with the purge.  But I disagree with the process.

Somehow, it is another data point showing it is hard to smoothly work in
production with Guix – some flavors are moving too fast for my taste [1].

Anyway!  The merge will be a double “darwinism” experience. ;-) Only the
most motivated* users with a broken workflow will accept such breakage.
Only the most relevant python2- variant packages will survive
elsewhere. :-)

*darwinism meaning here “selection”
*motivated by other unique Guix features

1: <https://yhetil.org/guix/86mtv29erk.fsf@gmail.com>


Cheers,
simon