Roel Janssen <r...@gnu.org> writes:
> Eric Bavier writes:
>
>> On 2015-11-19 13:57, Mark H Weaver wrote:
>>> Roel Janssen <r...@gnu.org> writes:
>>>
>>>> The list of packages included in Guix [1] provides links to the build
>>>> status of each package in the details. I would like to provide this
>>>> information in a column after "Package details", either as an icon or
>>>> as
>>>> a count (e.g. 3/4 builds succeeded). This provides a nicer overview
>>>> for
>>>> the current status of the package.
>>>
>>> Sounds good to me, but I'm not sure that either a single icon or a
>>> count
>>> will be very useful.
>>>
>>> We currently support four architectures: x86_64-linux, i686-linux,
>>> armhf-linux, and mips64el-linux. There will likely be a fifth for the
>>> Hurd as well.
>>>
>>> If the status is to be useful, users will need to see at a glance if
>>> the
>>> package builds on their chosen architecture. A count like 2/4 or 3/4
>>> doesn't tell me whether the package works on armhf.
>>>
>>> So, I think we'd actually need one new column for each supported
>>> architecture. I could imagine more clever solutions as well, but
>>> somehow it needs to indicate *which* architectures the package builds
>>> on, not just how many.
>>
>> I agree.
>>
>> Could we add a small icon in the expanded view next to the current links
>> that indicate pass/fail for that architecture? This could possibly in
>> addition to the summary count in the collapsed view.
>
> I think that would be a good idea. Adding icons per architecture next to
> the current links in the expanded view.
>
> Then have one column with an indicator for overall success or
> failure.
What does "overall success or failure" mean? If a package builds
successfully on i686 and armhf, and fails on x86_64 and mips64el, does
that count as an "overall success" or an "overall failure"?
> Whether this is a count or an icon, I don't know which would be
> better. I think visually, an icon would be better. A count would be a
> little more informing.
>
> Having four (and in the future five) columns, each with an icon, would
> be too much I think.
I'm sorry if it seems like too much, but for the reasons I gave above, a
count or boolean is essentially useless, because it doesn't tell people
whether it works on their architecture of interest.
Mark
