Re: GNU Guix 0.8.3 released

[A0]

On 22/07/15 10:07, Ludovic Courtès wrote:
> We are pleased to announce the release of GNU Guix version 0.8.3,
> representing 828 commits by 25 people over 2 months.
> 
> 
> • About
> 
>   GNU Guix is a functional package manager for the GNU system.
>   The Guix System Distribution is (GuixSD) an advanced distribution
>   of the GNU system.
> 
>   In addition to standard package management features, Guix supports
>   transactional upgrades and roll-backs, unprivileged package
>   management, and per-user profiles.  GuixSD offers a declarative
>   approach to operating system configuration management and is highly
>   hackable.  Guix uses low-level mechanisms from the Nix package
>   manager, except that packages are defined as native Guile modules,
>   using extensions to the Scheme language.
> 
>   The operating system uses the Linux-Libre kernel and the GNU dmd init
>   system.  At this stage it can be used on an i686 or x86_64 machine.
> 
>   It is also possible to use Guix on top of an already installed
>   GNU/Linux system, including on mips64el and armv7.
> 
>   http://www.gnu.org/software/guix/
> 
> 
> • Download
> 
>   Here are the compressed sources and a GPG detached signature[*]:
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guix-0.8.3.tar.gz
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guix-0.8.3.tar.gz.sig
> 
>   Here are the bootable USB installation images and their signatures[*]:
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guixsd-usb-install-0.8.3.i686-linux.xz
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guixsd-usb-install-0.8.3.i686-linux.xz.sig
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guixsd-usb-install-0.8.3.x86_64-linux.xz
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guixsd-usb-install-0.8.3.x86_64-linux.xz.sig
> 
>   Here are the binary tarballs and their signatures[*]:
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guix-binary-0.8.3.i686-linux.xz
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guix-binary-0.8.3.i686-linux.xz.sig
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guix-binary-0.8.3.x86_64-linux.xz
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guix-binary-0.8.3.x86_64-linux.xz.sig
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guix-binary-0.8.3.mips64el-linux.xz
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guix-binary-0.8.3.mips64el-linux.xz.sig
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guix-binary-0.8.3.armhf-linux.xz
>     ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/guix-binary-0.8.3.armhf-linux.xz.sig
> 
> 
>   Use a mirror for higher download bandwidth:
>     http://www.gnu.org/order/ftp.html
> 
>   Here are the SHA1 checksums:
> 
>   212c50a651867baa483d645284c7676e1b073a70  guix-0.8.3.tar.gz
>   519a3e016101a482e405c7686cfc195e3014707a  
> guix-binary-0.8.3.armhf-linux.tar.xz
>   730a6e3b43f923788814c04c7ab0023d469b598c  
> guix-binary-0.8.3.i686-linux.tar.xz
>   bb4337f92cf6f08108d554ace95eb37197d9aa32  
> guix-binary-0.8.3.mips64el-linux.tar.xz
>   cc6df13b226c6d8ef10ff1f70ec08000da92a171  
> guix-binary-0.8.3.x86_64-linux.tar.xz
>   767cfe4b7d667cdf697e215b53dd4b44e9f3caff  
> guixsd-usb-install-0.8.3.i686-linux.xz
>   c2964cdae745ae2dff08eee9f973a763e1596694  
> guixsd-usb-install-0.8.3.x86_64-linux.xz
> 
>   [*] Use a .sig file to verify that the corresponding file (without the
>   .sig suffix) is intact.  First, be sure to download both the .sig file
>   and the corresponding tarball.  Then, run a command like this:
> 
>     gpg --verify guix-0.8.3.tar.gz.sig
> 
>   If that command fails because you don't have the required public key,
>   then run this command to import it:
> 
>     gpg --keyserver keys.gnupg.net --recv-keys 3D9AEBB5
> 
>   and rerun the 'gpg --verify' command.
> 
>   This release was bootstrapped with the following tools:
>     Autoconf 2.69
>     Automake 1.15
>     Makeinfo 6.0
>     Help2man 1.47.1
> 
> 
>   To install the Guix System Distribution, please see “System
>   Installation” in the manual.  To install Guix on a running
>   system, see “Installation” in the manual.
> 
> 
> • Changes since version 0.8.2 (excerpt from the NEWS file)
> 
>   ** Package management
> 
>   *** New ‘guix edit’ and ‘guix size’ commands
>   *** New ‘--manifest’ option for ‘guix package’, for declarative profiles
>   *** Similarly, new ‘M-x guix-apply-manifest’ for the Emacs UI
>   *** Emacs support now includes completion for ‘guix’ commands in shell-mode
>   *** ‘guix package --search-paths’ now takes an optional argument
>   *** ‘guix environment --ad-hoc’ creates a custom development environment
>   *** New ‘--system’ option for ‘guix environment’
>   *** ‘guix environment’ defines $GUIX_ENVIRONMENT, useful to adjust ‘PS1’
>   *** New ‘--optimize’ and ‘--verify’ options to ‘guix gc’
>   *** ‘guix build --with-source’ can now be passed a directory
>   *** New ‘elpa’ importer for ‘guix import’
>   *** ‘guix import pypi’ determines the list of dependencies
>   *** New ‘--substitute-urls’ option for ‘guix build’ and other commands
>   *** ‘guix substitute’ can now alternate between different substitute URLs
>   *** New “Running Guix Before It Is Installed” section in the manual
>   *** Basic manual pages for the ‘guix’ commands are now shipped
>   *** Building the daemon now necessitates a C++11 compiler
> 
>   ** Distribution
> 
>   *** New ‘%base-user-accounts’ variable, for common system accounts
>   *** New ‘--on-error’ option for ‘guix system’
>   *** New ‘plain-file’ construct, for use in ‘operating-system’ declarations
>   *** ‘sudoers’ field of ‘operating-system’ renamed to ‘sudoers-file’
>   *** ‘sudoers-file’ and ‘hosts-file’ fields now take file-like objects
>   *** File systems under /sys/fs/cgroup are now mounted by default
>   *** Default compiler is now GCC 4.9.3 (was 4.8.4)
>   *** ARMv7 port now requires NEON
>   *** The disk footprint of a dozen key packages has been reduced
> 
>   *** 179 new packages
> 
>   adwaita-icon-theme, amule, aragorn, arpack-ng-openmpi, blast+, bundler,
>   camlp4, camlp5, clutter, clutter-gst, clutter-gtk, cogl, coq, couger, crda,
>   dealii, dealii-openmpi, devhelp, diamond, dunst, edirect, emacs-auctex,
>   emacs-mmm-mode, emacs-pdf-tools, eog, execline, exempi, fasttree, faust,
>   fizmo, gcr, git-modes, gnome-common, gnome-keyring, gnome-klotski,
>   gnu-c-manual, gnujump, gom, grilo, grilo-plugins, gst-plugins-ugly,
>   guile-emacs, guile-for-guile-emacs, guile-gdbm-ffi, guitarix, haskell-mode,
>   hevea, hmmer, hoedown, htslib, hydra, hydrogen, idr, libcmis, libiberty,
>   libmng, libmpeg2, libreoffice, libressl, librest, libstdc++, libstdc++-doc,
>   libstdc++-doc, libsvm, libtar, libx264, libxdg-basedir, lpsolve, 
> lxappearance,
>   magit-svn, metabat, metis, mumps, mumps-metis, mumps-metis-openmpi,
>   mumps-openmpi, orfm, p4est, p4est-openmpi, perl-authen-sasl,
>   perl-catalyst-authentication-store-dbix-class,
>   perl-catalyst-plugin-authorization-roles, perl-data-stag, perl-gssapi,
>   perl-io-string, perl-net-smtp-ssl, perl-set-object, plink, powertabeditor,
>   preseq, prodigal, proof-general, pugixml, pv, python-click,
>   python-feedgenerator, python-flake8, python-gridmap, python-libsvm,
>   python-libxml2, python-mccabe, python-pandas, python-pep8, python-pep8,
>   python-psutil, python-pyflakes, python-pyflakes, python-pyzmq, python-redis,
>   python-rpy2, python-rq, python-scikit-image, python-seaborn, python2-click,
>   python2-fastlmm, python2-feedgenerator, python2-flake8, python2-gridmap,
>   python2-libxml2, python2-mccabe, python2-pandas, python2-pep8, python2-pep8,
>   python2-psutil, python2-pyflakes, python2-pysnptools, python2-pyzmq,
>   python2-redis, python2-rpy2, python2-rq, python2-scikit-image,
>   python2-seaborn, python2-warpedlmm, qsynth, randomjungle, rapidjson, raul, 
> rc,
>   rhythmbox, rsem, rtmidi, ruby-arel, ruby-bacon, ruby-connection-pool,
>   ruby-daemons, ruby-git, ruby-minitest, ruby-minitest-bacon,
>   ruby-minitest-sprint, ruby-multipart-post, ruby-net-http-persistent,
>   ruby-rake-compiler, ruby-rspec, ruby-rspec-core, ruby-rspec-expectations,
>   ruby-rspec-mocks, ruby-slop, ruby-useragent, scalapack, seahorse, setbfree,
>   sfarklib, sfarkxtc, sfxr, skalibs, slepc, slepc-complex,
>   slepc-complex-openmpi, slepc-openmpi, sox, st, totem, wayland, 
> wireless-regdb,
>   withershins, wxmaxima, xfce4-clipman-plugin, xmlsec, zita-resampler
> 
>   *** 181 package updates
> 
>   ardour-4.1-5aa834e, bash-4.3.39, bash-light-4.3.39, bedops-2.4.14,
>   bind-utils-9.10.2-P2, bison-3.0.4, bitlbee-3.4, boost-1.58.0, 
> brasero-3.12.1,
>   calibre-2.29.0, catch-1.1.3, ccache-3.2.2, chibi-scheme-0.7.3, clang-3.6.0,
>   coreutils-8.24, cups-2.0.3, cups-filters-1.0.71, cups-minimal-2.0.3,
>   curl-7.43.0, datamash-1.0.7, dfu-programmer-0.7.2, duplicity-0.6.26, 
> ed-1.12,
>   efl-1.14.2, eigen-3.2.5, elementary-1.14.2, emotion-generic-players-1.14.0,
>   enlightenment-0.19.5, evas-generic-loaders-1.14.0, evince-3.16.1, feh-2.13,
>   ffmpeg-2.7.1, freeipmi-1.4.9, freetype-2.6, gawk-4.1.3, gcal-4, gcc-5.2.0,
>   gcc-cross-arm-linux-gnueabihf-4.9.3, 
> gcc-cross-mips64el-linux-gnuabi64-4.9.3,
>   gcc-cross-sans-libc-avr-4.9.3, gcc-cross-sans-libc-xtensa-elf-4.9.3,
>   gcc-objc++-4.8.5, gcc-objc-4.8.5, gcc-stripped-tarball-4.9.3,
>   gcc-toolchain-4.9.3, gcc-toolchain-4.9.3, gcc-toolchain-5.2.0, gccgo-4.8.5,
>   gcj-4.8.5, gdb-7.9.1, geoclue-2.2.0, gettext-0.19.5, gfortran-4.8.5,
>   gfortran-4.9.3, gfortran-4.9.3, girara-0.2.4, git-2.4.3, git-manpages-2.4.3,
>   global-6.5, gnu-pw-mgr-1.4, gnupg-2.1.6, gnutls-3.4.1, goffice-0.10.14,
>   gpgme-1.5.5, gtk+-3.16.3, gtkmm-3.16.0, guile-2.0.11, guile-2.0.11,
>   guile-reader-0.6.1, guile-sdl-0.5.2, guix-0.8.2, guix-0.8.2.72cd8ec,
>   gxmessage-3.4.3, harfbuzz-0.9.40, help2man-1.47.1, httpd-2.4.16, 
> hwloc-1.10.1,
>   icecat-31.8.0-gnu1, imagemagick-6.9.1-3, inetutils-1.9.4, julia-0.3.10,
>   libassuan-2.2.1, libdvdnav-5.0.3, libdvdread-5.0.3, libetonyek-0.1.3,
>   libgpg-error-1.19, libidn-1.31, libksba-1.3.3, libmicrohttpd-0.9.42,
>   libmpdclient-2.10, libmwaw-0.3.5, libpipeline-1.4.0, libpsl-0.7.1,
>   librsvg-2.40.9, libunistring-0.9.6, libusb-1.0.19, libvpx-1.4.0, 
> libwps-0.4.0,
>   libxml2-2.9.2, linux-libre-4.0.8, linux-libre-4.1.2, livestreamer-1.12.2,
>   lv2-1.12.0, magit-1.4.1, man-db-2.7.1, mariadb-10.0.20, maxima-5.36.1,
>   mdds-0.12.1, mpd-0.19.10, mpd-mpc-0.27, mpfr-3.1.3, mysql-5.6.25, 
> nano-2.4.2,
>   ncmpc-0.24, ncmpcpp-0.6.5, nettle-3.1.1, ngs-java-1.1.1, ngs-sdk-1.1.1,
>   npth-1.2, nss-3.19.2, nss-certs-3.19.2, ntp-4.2.8p3, ocaml-4.02.1,
>   openblas-0.2.14, openjpeg-2.0.1, openjpeg-2.1.0, openmpi-1.8.5, 
> openssh-6.9p1,
>   openssl-1.0.2d, parallel-20150622, pari-gp-2.7.4, pcre-8.37, perf-4.1.2,
>   petsc-3.6.0, petsc-complex-3.6.0, petsc-complex-openmpi-3.6.0,
>   petsc-openmpi-3.6.0, pinentry-0.9.5, pius-2.1.1, polkit-0.113,
>   postgresql-9.3.8, pspp-0.8.5, pt-scotch-6.0.4, pumpa-0.9.1, python-3.4.3,
>   python-dateutil-2.2, python-pillow-2.8.1, python-scikit-learn-0.16.1,
>   python2-dateutil-2.2, python2-pillow-2.8.1, python2-pygobject-3.16.1,
>   python2-pyqt-5.4, python2-scikit-learn-0.16.1, qemu-2.3.0,
>   qemu-headless-2.3.0, qt-5.4.2, r-3.2.1, readline-6.3, ruby-2.1.6, 
> ruby-2.2.2,
>   samtools-1.2, scotch-6.0.4, screen-4.3.1, sharutils-4.15.2, sipwitch-1.9.8,
>   sqlite-3.8.10.2, star-2.4.2a, swig-3.0.5, synergy-1.7.3, sysfsutils-2.1.0,
>   talloc-2.1.2, texinfo-6.0, tor-0.2.6.8, ucommon-6.3.4, unrtf-0.21.9, 
> vamp-2.6,
>   webkitgtk-2.8.3, which-2.21, xorriso-1.4.0, youtube-dl-2015.06.25,
>   zathura-0.3.3
> 
>   ** Programming interfaces
> 
>   *** New “package Reference” and “origin Reference” sections in the manual
>   *** New ‘emacs-build-system’, which mimics what package.el does
>   *** New (guix cpio) module, used to produce Linux initrds deterministically
>   *** New ‘clone’, ‘setns’, and ‘pivot_root’ bindings in (guix build syscalls)
>   *** New ‘dependencies’ field in <file-system>
>   *** New #:gem-flags parameter for ‘ruby-build-system’
>   *** monads: ‘foldm’, ‘mapm’, and ‘anym’ now take a list of regular values
>   *** monads: Allow n-ary ‘>>=’ expressions
> 
>   ** Noteworthy bug fixes
> 
>   *** Binary installation tarball now has files root-owned, with zeroed mtime
>       (<http://bugs.gnu.org/21101>)
>   *** GRUB background image is always available (<http://bugs.gnu.org/20591>)
>   *** ‘guix system’ catches references to non-existent user groups
>       (<http://bugs.gnu.org/20646>)
>   *** Ignore trailing components for ‘guix gc -d’ 
> (<http://bugs.gnu.org/19757>)
>   *** ‘guix lint’ warns only when all the URIs are unreachable
>   *** ‘guix system init’ overwrites the items in the target store
>       (<http://bugs.gnu.org/20722>)
>   *** ‘guix-register’ performs deduplication even when --prefix is passed
>       (<http://bugs.gnu.org/19044>)
>   *** The ‘location’ of packages is no longer preserved by ‘inherit’
>   *** GuixSD installation image has udev rules for device-mapper
>       (<http://bugs.gnu.org/20791>)
>   *** Daemon distinguishes between “substitutable” and “offloadable” 
> derivations
>       (<http://bugs.gnu.org/18747>)
>   *** Avoid infinite loop in ‘guix substitute’
>   *** ‘guix environment’ now returns the exit code of its command
>   *** ‘file-system’ declarations can now really use UUIDs
>       (<http://bugs.gnu.org/19778>)
>   *** Daemon preserves build user groups (<http://bugs.gnu.org/18994>)
>   *** Fix quadratic behavior when building packages with many propagated 
> inputs
>   *** Tarballs for origins with patches/snippet are now built 
> deterministically
>   *** Scalability issues in ‘guix publish’ have been fixed
> 
>   ** Native language support
> 
>   *** Updated translations: da, eo
> 
> 
> Please report bugs to address@hidden
> Join address@hidden and #guix on Freenode for discussions.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who contributed to this release:
> 
>     33        Alex Kost
>      1        Alexander Shendi
>      2        Amirouche Boubekki
>     48        Andreas Enge
>      1        Andy Patterson
>      7        Ben Woodcroft
>      4        Christopher Allan Webber
>      4        Claes Wallin (韋嘉誠)
>      7        Cyril Roelandt
>      1        Cyrill Schenkel
>      4        David Hashe
>     45        David Thompson
>      6        Efraim Flashner
>     33        Eric Bavier
>      8        Federico Beffa
>      1        Jeff Mickey
>    283        Ludovic Courtès
>      7        Manolis Ragkousis
>    175        Mark H Weaver
>      7        Mathieu Lirzin
>     15        Paul van der Walt
>      4        Pjotr Prins
>     91        Ricardo Wurmus
>     37        Sou Bunnbu (宋文武)
>      4        Taylan Ulrich Bayırlı/Kammer
> 
> Ludovic, on behalf of the Guix team.
> 


Maybe this is a lazy question, but can one use Guix to manage local,
user-installed packages with ease on
a non-Guix platform? I remember seeing something that looked like that
in the docs, but never really investigated
thoroughly. In research institutions, it is often the case you have
non-admin access to big compute
machines and whenever you need more software, you either nag to admin
who installs it then system wide
(annoying time delays), or you establish a growing local software repo
which can become cumbersome to maintain (e.g
installation only through 'make uninstall').

How straightforward would this be? Also, how straightforward is it to
compile/install Guix on a foreign platform?