to Guix or to Nix

to Guix or to Nix

[Saša Janiška]

Hello,

I’m Linux user since ’99 and was using (open)Suse, Gentoo and Arch with
Xfce most of the time. Had few shot excursions into the world of
Net/Open/Free/PC-BSD, but returned to Linux since some time I use Debian
(Sid) and settled on GNOME3 desktop.

Now, in order to bring some more stability and possibly less admin-work
with both my machines (desktop, netboo) as well as with
relatives/friends I’m considering to switch to eith GuixSD or Nixos…

Guix is attractive considering its usage of standard general programming
language in comparison with NixOS’s DSL.

However, despite of being glad that GuixSD is dedicated to free-only
software I have some questions in regard before deciding to which
distribution to switch…

I understand that for my Netbook I should probably buy new wifi USB
dongle with free-firmware support and similar thing in order to get
working Bluetooth.

However, I’m concerned with my desktop machine where I have Gigabyte
UDP55 (1166 socket) motherboards and it seems that there is need for
firmware-realtek package which provides rtl_nic/rtl8168d-2.fw.

So,

a) can anyone confirm what is the situation in regard to this firmware
in GuixSD?

b) after having some unpleasant experiences with btrfs’ performance
after I did perform some video renderin and my machine had higher
workload, swap file was activated and it took long time to settle down
afte rendering was done, now I’c considering to either use XFS or ZFS
(ZoL), so wonder what is situation in regard of support for those
filesystems (atm, it seems that none of the two are included)?

c) I use old ATI graphics card and I’m happy with open-source driver,
but have need for two legacy Windows app which I use via wine and use
one proprietaty application for my scanner (VueScan) which is GTK app,
so hopefully it should run without any problem, but have occasional need
to use Skype (my friends/relatives have more needs), so wonder what can
one do in regard to apps like Skype and/or Viber, Gitter etc.?

d) For remote troubleshooting of my relatives/friends machine atm I use
TeamViewer which is easy for them, but I hope that something better (aka
open-source) can be deployed instead, so those are practically all
concerns I have in regard.

Of course, I understand that Guix(SD) is younger and does not have as
many packages as NixOS, but, otoh, I see that GuiXSD development is very
active.

Any advice what would be more suitable distro for my needs from the
perspective of Guix(SD) users?


Sincerely,
Gour

-- 
As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust,
or as the embryo is covered by the womb, the living entity is
similarly covered by different degrees of this lust.

Re: to Guix or to Nix

[Ludovic Courtès]

Hello!

Saša Janiška <gour@atmarama.com> skribis:

> However, I’m concerned with my desktop machine where I have Gigabyte
> UDP55 (1166 socket) motherboards and it seems that there is need for
> firmware-realtek package which provides rtl_nic/rtl8168d-2.fw.
>
> So,
>
> a) can anyone confirm what is the situation in regard to this firmware
> in GuixSD?

No idea.  I would suggest checking h-node.org or similar to see if free
firmware exists.

> b) after having some unpleasant experiences with btrfs’ performance
> after I did perform some video renderin and my machine had higher
> workload, swap file was activated and it took long time to settle down
> afte rendering was done, now I’c considering to either use XFS or ZFS
> (ZoL), so wonder what is situation in regard of support for those
> filesystems (atm, it seems that none of the two are included)?

Unfortunately, ZFS is unlikely to ever be available, unless Oracle
changes its license:

  https://www.fsf.org/licensing/zfs-and-linux

Currently GuixSD is somewhat limited to ext4.  We will eventually lift
this limitation, but for now, that’s we have.

> c) I use old ATI graphics card and I’m happy with open-source driver,
> but have need for two legacy Windows app which I use via wine and use
> one proprietaty application for my scanner (VueScan) which is GTK app,
> so hopefully it should run without any problem, but have occasional need
> to use Skype (my friends/relatives have more needs), so wonder what can
> one do in regard to apps like Skype and/or Viber, Gitter etc.?

GNU and Guix are about delivering software that users can control:

  https://gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html

So Guix as a project will not provide advice as to how to put yourself
in a trap.

But that’s fine!  :-)  There are probably free software alternatives that
you could use and help people improve.  For instance, you might want to
look into Ring <https://ring.cx/>, and maybe provide a Guix package for
it.  I’m sure people on #guix would be happy to help, and your work
would benefit everyone.

> Any advice what would be more suitable distro for my needs from the
> perspective of Guix(SD) users?

Please see
<http://www.gnu.org/software/guix/manual/html_node/Limitations.html>.

Thanks,
Ludo’.

Re: to Guix or to Nix

[Saša Janiška]

ludo@gnu.org (Ludovic Courtès) writes:

> No idea.  I would suggest checking h-node.org or similar to see if free
> firmware exists.

OK. Based on

https://h-node.org/ethernetcards/view/en/315/Realtek-Semiconductor-Co---Ltd--RTL8111-8168B-PCI-Express-Gigabit-Ethernet-controller--rev-06-/1/1/undef/undef/undef/undef/undef/8168

it should work and I see that kernel driver 8169 is used, but still
wonder why firmware for 8168 from non-free package is used…


> Unfortunately, ZFS is unlikely to ever be available, unless Oracle
> changes its license:

I see…

> Currently GuixSD is somewhat limited to ext4.  We will eventually lift
> this limitation, but for now, that’s we have.

OK.

> So Guix as a project will not provide advice as to how to put yourself
> in a trap.

:-)

> But that’s fine!  :-)  There are probably free software alternatives that
> you could use and help people improve.  For instance, you might want to
> look into Ring <https://ring.cx/>, and maybe provide a Guix package for
> it.  I’m sure people on #guix would be happy to help, and your work
> would benefit everyone.

Thanks a lot for the Ring link…I was totally unaware of it. :-(


Sincerely,
Gour

-- 
The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material
nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge
merges entirely into transcendence.

Re: to Guix or to Nix

[Catonano]

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2016-04-17 14:57 GMT+02:00 Saša Janiška <gour@atmarama.com>:

>
>


> Thanks a lot for the Ring link…I was totally unaware of it. :-(
>
>
I was unaware of it too ! I had tested Tox last winter, but I found it a
bit immature.

I had no idea something else was moving

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