On Thu, Apr 10, 2014 at 7:20 PM, Jeremy Audet <ichimonj...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Doesn't every language with its own package manager have this problem? > For example, Python. Is there a good solution? Users knowing about this > issue and making their own decisions is the current solution on every > distro I'm familiar with. > > Aye. There are some upshots to allowing users to install software via > either the system package manager or a language-specific one, instead of > forcing them down a single path. For example, with ruby: tools such as > bundler, rbenv and rvm provide users with some awesome capabilities, such > as being able to install multiple versions of Ruby and multiple versions of > gems, either system-wide, in a user's home directory or in a custom > directory. That's very useful, and the user should have that option - but > if the user wants a simpler, more straightforward option, they can use > `gem` or `pacman`. (And the choice between gem and pacman has its own > tradeoffs.) > > Couldn't the same be said of Haskell packages? Using pacman to manage > haskell packages provides some niceties, such as automatic updates > (whenever -Syu is performed), whereas cabal-install provides its own > niceties, such as access to numerous packages. So... is there anything > wrong with letting the user choose the tool that suits their needs? > I guess I should modify my wording for Change 2 to be: "Change 2: Make a news item stating that either cabal-install or pacman packages are now the recommended way to install haskell packages. Not both in one system."
