GSoC ideas for GNU Guix

GSoC ideas for GNU Guix

[Ludovic Courtès]

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Good evening!

Below is a list of GSoC ideas for GNU Guix.

Guix people: you’re welcome to put your name as the mentor of one of the
projects below, and to propose other ideas.

Thanks!
Ludo’.


<h4>Supporting binary package distribution through GNUnet</h4>

<p>
GNU Guix provides a transparent binary/source deployment model.  A
server can claim: “hey, I have the binary for
<tt>/nix/store/v9zic07iar8w90zcy398r745w78a7lqs-emacs-24.3</tt>!”, where the
base32 string uniquely identifies a build process.  If you trust that
server to provide genuine binaries, then you can grab them instead of
building Emacs locally.
</p>

<p>
The “traditional model” has been to have a build farm build and serve
binary packages.  In that model, users trust the build farm to provide
authentic binaries.
</p>

<p>
The project aims to provide a <emph>practical</emph> decentralization
distribution mechanism for binary packages, using <a
href="/software/gnunet">GNUnet’s file sharing service</a>.  In that
model, users would be able to automatically share binaries they have
built locally, and to install binaries built by other users.  This is
part of a broader goal of <emph>disintermediation</emph> among users,
and between users and upstream software developers.
</p>

<p>
Problems to be solved <a
href="http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-guix/2013-03/msg00085.html">include</a>
the authentication of binary packages, user privacy, and the development
of a user interface that makes it trivial to contribute package build
results.
</p>

<strong>Mentor</strong>: <a href="mailto:ludo@gnu.org">Ludovic Court&egrave;s</a>


<h4>Package management from Emacs</h4>

<p>
  The goal of this project is to write a complete package management
  user interface for use in GNU&nbsp;Emacs.  The UI would provide the
  same functionality as the <tt>guix package</tt> command, but using an
  interface similar to that of <tt>package.el</tt>.
</p>

<strong>Mentor</strong>: <a href="mailto:ludo@gnu.org">Ludovic Court&egrave;s</a>


<h4>Porting Guix to GNU/Hurd</h4>

<p>
  GNU Guix currently supports building packages for GNU/Linux only.  The
  goal of this project would be to allow it to cross-build and build
  packages for GNU/Hurd, and to provide a virtual machine image that
  boots into such a system.
</p>
<p>
  This would involve packaging Mach/Hurd/MiG/libc, adjusting allowing
  cross-compilation to GNU/Hurd, cross-compiling the “bootstrap
  binaries” for GNU/Hurd, and then working towards support for GNU/Hurd
  in the <code>(gnu system)</code> Guix modules.  This last point would
  allow a VM image of the complete system to be built.
</p>

<strong>Mentor</strong>: <a href="mailto:ludo@gnu.org">Ludovic Court&egrave;s</a>

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Re: GSoC ideas for GNU Guix

[Jose E. Marchesi]

Hi ludo.
    
    Below is a list of GSoC ideas for GNU Guix.

Thanks, added to the page.

[GSoC] Emacs UI for Guix

[Ludovic Courtès]

Hi,

(Moving to guix-devel@.)

Yagnesh Raghava Yakkala <hi@yagnesh.org> skribis:

> I am Yagnesh Raghava Yakkala, doing doctoral course in Hokkaido University,
> Japan. I think I am eligible to apply for GSoC. If possible I would like to
> participate this time under GNU umbrella.
>
> I think I am able to work on the following idea since I am familiar with
> Emacs/Emacs-lisp and package.el (though not an expert in any regard). I
> thought this would be learning experience in general.
>
> I would be glad if you can be my mentor for the proposal.

Cool, this sounds like a nice plan!

I would recommend that you first familiarize yourself with Guix by
installing it, reporting any problems, and browsing the docs and code.

This project may require a little bit of Scheme hacking to factorize
code between the ‘guix package’ command and what the Emacs UI would be
using (in the (guix profiles) module, specifically.)  Do you have
experience with Scheme and Guile?

Most of the rest of the code will be elisp though, obviously.  There
will be design choices to be made, such as whether the UI would
communicate with Guile/Guix via Geiser or through some ad hoc mechanism.

> PS: I have signed copyright assignments to FSF for Emacs and Guile but not
> guix.

No copyright assignment is needed for Guix, so you’re all set.  :-)

Thanks,
Ludo’.

Re: [GSoC] Emacs UI for Guix

[Yagnesh Raghava Yakkala]

Hello Ludovic,

Thanks for the reply.

> I would recommend that you first familiarize yourself with Guix by
> installing it, reporting any problems, and browsing the docs and code.

Sure, I will do that.

> This project may require a little bit of Scheme hacking to factorize
> code between the ‘guix package’ command and what the Emacs UI would be
> using (in the (guix profiles) module, specifically.)  Do you have
> experience with Scheme and Guile?

I don't have much experience with scheme except reading couple of books.

> Most of the rest of the code will be elisp though, obviously.  There
> will be design choices to be made, such as whether the UI would
> communicate with Guile/Guix via Geiser or through some ad hoc mechanism.

I see. I hope as we progress to proposal stage I/we may get better
understanding which way is the best.

>
>> PS: I have signed copyright assignments to FSF for Emacs and Guile but not
>> guix.
>
> No copyright assignment is needed for Guix, so you’re all set.  :-)

Oh. Nice to know that.

Thanks.,
--
YYR

Re: [GSoC] Emacs UI for Guix

[Ludovic Courtès]

Hi Yagnesh,

Yagnesh Raghava Yakkala <hi@yagnesh.org> skribis:

>> I would recommend that you first familiarize yourself with Guix by
>> installing it, reporting any problems, and browsing the docs and code.
>
> Sure, I will do that.
>
>> This project may require a little bit of Scheme hacking to factorize
>> code between the ‘guix package’ command and what the Emacs UI would be
>> using (in the (guix profiles) module, specifically.)  Do you have
>> experience with Scheme and Guile?
>
> I don't have much experience with scheme except reading couple of books.

OK.  With this and your elisp background, it may not be too difficult to
get started.

>> Most of the rest of the code will be elisp though, obviously.  There
>> will be design choices to be made, such as whether the UI would
>> communicate with Guile/Guix via Geiser or through some ad hoc mechanism.
>
> I see. I hope as we progress to proposal stage I/we may get better
> understanding which way is the best.

Yes.

Make sure to stop by on #guix to discuss things.  I would be pleased if
we could get this project going.

Thanks,
Ludo’.