Re: Reorganizing guix package commands

[myglc2 <myglc2@gmail.com>]

Alex Kost <alezost@gmail.com> writes:

> myglc2 (2016-04-19 00:50 +0300) wrote:
>
>> For overall Guix usability, the overloading of a single guix command for
>> everything is not so good. When you eventually create a man page, it
>> will be intimidating for someone just trying to do per-user package
>> management, which the majority of, and least sophisticated users, will
>> be trying to do.
>>
>> On the other hand there are several "classes" of commands as reflected
>> by the guix CLI being described in several logically different parts of
>> the doc. This structure is not so evident in the CLI structure.
>>
>> A possibly better approach would be to explicitly split the guix
>> command-verse into command classes to better match the structure of the
>> doc and/or the class of the user. For example, per-user ('guix ...'),
>> global-system ('guix-sys ...'), and developer ('guix-dev ...'), or
>> something similar.
>
> Sorry, but I can't agree with this.  I don't see a difference between
> "simple users" and developers.  Guix provides many tools indeed, but I
> don't think they should be organized in groups depending on "user
> classes".
>
> I like that all the tools are placed in a single "guix" command, I just
> would like to reorganize it a bit (or a lot :-)).

Yes, of course, you have reacted as I predicted ...

>> While this would be not-so-nice for a power emacs user, ...

But user interface design involves trade-offs. If you design the
interface only for power users that is all you will ever have.

The adjustments I have suggested are easily accommodated by a power user
and meanwhile make Guix much more approachable for a novice.

The problem you face as you set the Guix interface in stone is that you
have inadequate representation of novices in the discussion.

If you are not careful you will harden Guix into a ninja tool and this
will severely limit it's adoption.

You need to remember that, at the end of the day, how important Guix is
will depend on how many users it has.