Re: An idea regarding Guix Profiles

[Raghav Gururajan <rg@raghavgururajan.name>]

Hello Guix!

>> I just had this crazy idea.
>>
>> Currently, we can create multiple profiles at user-level. What if we 
>> could bring the 'guix profiles' concept to system-level?
>>
>> At user-level, user can choose which profile to work on. Like that it 
>> would be cool to select which profile to boot.
>>
>> Thoughts?
> 
> For clarification, I meant these multiple system-profiles to be 
> different from generations.
> 
> Currently, there can be only one system-profile, under which there can 
> be many generations. In my idea, each multiple system-profile, will have 
> their own generations.
> 
> For Example,
> 
> ```
> System 1 (Desktop installation for generic/casual use):
>      Generation 1
>      Generation 2
>      ...
> 
> System 2 (Minimal installation for development use):
>      Generation 1
>      Generation 2
>      ...
> 
> System 3 (Base installation for home-server use):
>      Generation 1
>      Generation 2
>      ...
> ```
> 
> If a user wants to casually watch multimedia or browse the web or edit 
> some documents, the user can choose the system-profile 'System 1'. There 
> will be desktop-environment and system-services for generic/casual use.
> 
> If a user wants to do development work, the user can choose the 
> system-profile 'System 2'. There will be minimal window-managers and 
> system-services for development use.
> 
> If a user is going to travel and want to run the machine as home-server, 
> so that it can be accessed/used remotely, the user can choose the 
> system-profile 'System 3'. There will be base packages and specific 
> system-services like SSH, NFS etc.
> 
> Another Example,
> 
> ```
> System 1 (GNU/Linux-Libre):
>      Generation 1
>      Generation 2
>      ...
> 
> System 2 (GNU/Hurd):
>      Generation 1
>      Generation 2
>      ...
> 
> System 3 (GNU/HyperbolaBSD):
>      Generation 1
>      Generation 2
>      ...
> ```

But if these profiles are gonna defined in same config.scm, then the 
generations will be shared.

  ```
Generation Current:
  System Profile 1 (Desktop installation for generic/casual use)
  System Profile 2 (Minimal installation for development use)
  System Profile 3 (Base installation for home-server use)

Generation 6:
  System Profile 1 (Desktop installation for generic/casual use)
  System Profile 2 (Minimal installation for development use)
  System Profile 3 (Base installation for home-server use)

Generation 5:
  System Profile 1 (Desktop installation for generic/casual use)
  System Profile 2 (Minimal installation for development use)
  System Profile 3 (Base installation for home-server use)

[...]
  ```

OR

  ```
Generation Current:
  System Profile 1 (GNU/Linux)
  System Profile 2 (GNU/Hurd)
  System Profile 3 (GNU/BSD)

Generation 6:
  System Profile 1 (GNU/Linux)
  System Profile 2 (GNU/Hurd)
  System Profile 3 (GNU/BSD)

Generation 5:
  System Profile 1 (GNU/Linux)
  System Profile 2 (GNU/Hurd)
  System Profile 3 (GNU/BSD)

[...]
  ```

Regards,
RG.