myglc2 writes: > Roel Janssen <r...@gnu.org> writes: > >> myglc2 writes: >> >>> Pjotr Prins <pjotr.publi...@thebird.nl> writes: >>> >>>> On Sun, Jul 31, 2016 at 01:49:00PM -0400, myglc2 wrote: >>>> >>>>> Guix has marvelous raw tools to do anything. The question is how to make >>>>> it simple enough for someone that is basically an R user to take >>>>> advantage of them. The challenge in guix R packaging is to consider R >>>>> patterns of use and determine how guix packate R to support them in a >>>>> way that is accessible to typical R users. >>>> >>>> What you need is a 'managed' environment for your users. My suggestion >>>> is not to give guix daemon access to those users. Use Unix modules - >>>> which I have packaged - to point them to a prepared profile. When they >>>> want to use R, just make a profile. All modules do is set the PATHS, >>>> as Roel described. Technology older than the Linux kernel :/ >>>> >>>> The 'manager' is the only one who will upgrade and test software to >>>> run. That way you can do controlled upgrades. You can even have >>>> multiple modules for different R's. >>> >>> I imagine that, in the spirit of guix, we also want a user to be able to >>> "help themself" instead of depending on a 'manager.' This would probably >>> require an additional R "package manager component" that is usable by a >>> manager or user. Such a thing would certainly showcase the unique >>> capabilities of guix. >> >> And users can! The "software manager" can provide "supported" profiles, >> and the users can still create their own software environment. Then >> when things break, users are one command away from switching to a >> working environment (provided by the manager). This safety net provides >> a confidence to play around even more.. >> >> The software manager can install packages from his own custom recipes, >> separate from whatever `guix pull' provides by setting the >> GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH variable. Users do not need to know about it, if they >> don't want to. > > Yes I get that it is possible now... but I feel strongly that the > typical R user will be overwhealmed by the guix "wheels and levers". > > So I resort to fantasizing a mythical additional guix-specific > component, an 'R "package manager component"'. The idea is to exploit > guix capabilities to make this much more tractable for an average R user > and much more convenient for the sysadmin in charge of providing support > to R users. > > Such an 'R "package manager component"' would make the argument for guix > isntallation very compelling for medical research labs.
Right. I see we can do better indeed. Kind regards, Roel Janssen
