Subject: Re: bug#20255: 'search-paths' should respect both user and system profile.

From: Alex Kost <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 12:59:28 +0300

Maxim Cournoyer (2021-06-25 22:37 -0400) wrote:

[...]
> Do you still have a vetted interest in the issue at hand?  This is a
> serious usability problem that's been in limbo for 6 years, apparently
> for reasons of purity (not wanting to run a command in /etc/profile).
> While I share the sentiment that /etc/profile would better be 'inert' or
> static, it seems we haven't been able to come up with a better solution
> than calling 'guix package --search-paths'.  Like Ludovic, I also don't
> find the idea of allowing users to override /etc/profile very appealing;
> even if undocumented, its mere presence in the operating-system field
> would be an invitation for problems.  An environment variable to disable
> such basic functionality also seems backward to me.
>
> I would personally be in favor of committing the fix as-is.  If < 1 s of
> wasted time on boot is an issue, I suggest to look into GNU Shepherd to
> offset it; optimization opportunities should abound :-).

I can modify /etc/profile with any "normal" linux distribution but I
cannot do it with the Guix System.  And I find it awful that you think
it should stay like that.  I am for providing as much freedom for a user
(to configure their system) as possible.

The current /etc/profile is bearable for me, but if you add a "guix ..."
call there without providing a way to modify that file, I will probably
stop using the Guix System.

Or maybe there is a hacky way to change /etc/profile ?  If so, please
share a code how this can be done.  (Then I will not complain anymore)

-- 
Alex