Re: Using a shared Guix store (was RE: [Bio-packaging] testing out guix)

[ludo@gnu.org (Ludovic Courtès)]

"Cook, Malcolm" <MEC@stowers.org> skribis:

>> Another one, which I think Ricardo has been investigating lately, would be to
>> have users manage their profiles via the Web user interface,
>> guix-web: <https://git.dthompson.us/guix-web.git>.  (The video
>> <http://audio-video.gnu.org/video/misc/2015-
>> 01__GNU_Guix__The_Emacs_of_Distros.webm>
>> has a demo starting at around 23mn.)
>
> Hmm, it is not clear to me how this would play out in a multi-user environment.  Having a web server that could alter per-user profiles sounds like a recipe for more confusion, rather than a solution.
>
> In any case, in my opinion, it would be a mistake to have depend on another tool (such as guix-web, or something similar) to implement functionality that could not be gained at using command-line  guix.  Don't you agree?

I’m just mentioning it as an additional option, for those who like it.

>> >> Ultimately, the correct fix is to allow remote guix clients to
>> >> communicate with a central guix daemon.  The daemon does not even
>> >> need to be aware of remote connections if guix clients can
>> >> transparently connect via SSH and send RPCs to the socket.  This is not yet
>> implemented.
>> >
>> > Sounds great.  On the roadmap?
>> 
>> Definitely.  There are details to be sorted out (SSH vs. plain old socket), but
>> we should discuss it and “get it done.”
>
> Are there any signposts on this road-map emerging?  Is there any way I can help, such as review proposals for how the CLI would work, I'd be happy to chip in.  Not ready to start slinging guile though.  Maybe later (the old lisper in me revels at the thought).

Yes, one way to help would be by trying a simple setup using Guix as it
currently exists, coupled with socat:

  http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=20381

If you could test this and provide feedback about the other options
discussed there, that would be great (please email
20381@debbugs.gnu.org.)

So no ETA, but once we have feedback from you, Ricardo, and other
interested parties, it will be easier to make a choice and implement it.
:-)

Thanks,
Ludo’.