You never want `nix-env --install` without it being `nix-env --install --attr`, though, because `nix-env -i` is like a billion times slower than `nix-env -iA`,

You never want `nix-env --install` without it being `nix-env --install --attr`, though, because `nix-env -i` is like a billion times slower than `nix-env -iA`, and that gives people a really bad first impression. But yeah I agree, it's fine to use `nix-env -iA <package>` or whatever. It's fine when you're getting started, and it's fine for a slightly more persistent way of trying things out than `nix-shell`.