Re: Add guix install command

[Andy Wingo <wingo@igalia.com>]

On Fri 07 Aug 2015 10:48, Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net> writes:

>>> Attached is a patch to implement "guix install".  It just copies over
>>> functionality from guix package.  We could refactor more but I would
>>> start with this as it is; when things need changes is the time to
>>> refactor, at least for me.  What do you think? :)
>>
>> I don't mind the new commands, but I think this patch is unacceptable
>> because of the huge code duplicating.  Sorry if it was sounded rude, I
>
> Would it be possible to implement this with stubs for “guix install” and
> “guix search” that serve as mere aliases to “guix package -i” and “guix
> package -s”?
>
> I think it would be nice to have these commands as long as they are just
> aliases and don’t duplicate code.

In the case of "guix install", yes.  However what would you show for
"guix install --help"?  What would error messages show: "guix package"
or "guix install"?  Would the user perceive it as a separate command or
would the fact that it is an alias be visible to the user?

I have a lot of opinions of course ;) but IMO for a user it's better for
it to present as a separate command.  Why?  Because understanding all of
"guix package" (or simply paging it back into human memory) is harder
than understanding all of "guix install".  Describing "guix install" is
easier than describing "guix package".

Also FWIW the equivalent of "guix package --install-from-expression foo"
is, as of this patch, "guix install --from-expression foo".  Reads nicer
to me but dunno, might be a point of conflict.

For search, I chose to default to a more terse format (--short rather
than --recutils).  Also the --recutils and --short options probably
don't make sense as arguments to "guix package", at least not named how
they are.

Basically it seems to me that "guix package" is doing too much as it
is.  Dunno how you see it though.  I am new here :)

Cheers,

Andy