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Nix gets these sorts of comments all the time, which I think is rather unfair. People are comparing Nix to things like Debian package manager and config tools,

Nix gets these sorts of comments all the time, which I think is rather unfair. People are comparing Nix to things like Debian package manager and config tools, or RPM, ansible, etc. But Nix is a fundamentally different and far more powerful thing. It's like complaining that a CNC machine is so much hard to use than your swiss arm knife. They aren't the same thing. If you are a professional developer, the effort put into Nix is rewarded in kind with the fundamentally new capabilities and assurances it gives you. You mention Git being a pain in the ass to learn, but I'm sure you'd agree it behooves you to learn it and not stick to older, fundamentally different systems.

bsder 3y ago
> It's like complaining that a CNC machine is so much hard to use than your swiss arm knife. They aren't the same thing. However, 90% of my knowledge of Tormach CNC machines also applies to Haas CNC machines--there's only about 10% that is specific. Even if Tormach or Haas goes away tomorrow, most of my knowledge that I gain on one or the other is still valid. If I learn a scripting language, 50% of it is about specifics and about 50% of it is transferrable. Learning Python gives you a lot of very similar concepts if you have to transfer to Ruby, Perl, etc. Nix, on the other hand, is all about the specifics. If another validated, configurable, source controlled system wins over Nix, ALL of my knowledge is dead. > If you are a professional developer, the effort put into Nix is rewarded in kind with the fundamentally new capabilities and assurances it gives you. The idea of Nix is fine. What I question is the implementation. We've already got a disaster of path dependence with Git. Something with a better UI should have come along (it has ... it's called Mercurial, but that's a different rant) but hasn't because of network effects. I want the idea of Nix but I have ZERO interest in helping to lock in such a disaster of a UI. The worst part ... I'm going to throw in. Too many people who I trust have thrown in with Nix for me to continue to sit on the fence. But, man, I will be definitely waiting for the replacement that doesn't have such a horrific UI.
- colordrops 3y ago
  I actually don't disagree with you on the UX. It's horrible. If a group were willing to put in enough effort though, it's very possible to put together an actual GUI that edits config for you. I.e. you could have it do most of what the UIs in Ubuntu do, plus all the new features, then leave direct config editing to power users.

bsder 3y ago

> It's like complaining that a CNC machine is so much hard to use than your swiss arm knife. They aren't the same thing. However, 90% of my knowledge of Tormach CNC machines also applies to Haas CNC machines--there's only about 10% that is specific. Even if Tormach or Haas goes away tomorrow, most of my knowledge that I gain on one or the other is still valid. If I learn a scripting language, 50% of it is about specifics and about 50% of it is transferrable. Learning Python gives you a lot of very similar concepts if you have to transfer to Ruby, Perl, etc. Nix, on the other hand, is all about the specifics. If another validated, configurable, source controlled system wins over Nix, ALL of my knowledge is dead. > If you are a professional developer, the effort put into Nix is rewarded in kind with the fundamentally new capabilities and assurances it gives you. The idea of Nix is fine. What I question is the implementation. We've already got a disaster of path dependence with Git. Something with a better UI should have come along (it has ... it's called Mercurial, but that's a different rant) but hasn't because of network effects. I want the idea of Nix but I have ZERO interest in helping to lock in such a disaster of a UI. The worst part ... I'm going to throw in. Too many people who I trust have thrown in with Nix for me to continue to sit on the fence. But, man, I will be definitely waiting for the replacement that doesn't have such a horrific UI.

colordrops 3y ago
I actually don't disagree with you on the UX. It's horrible. If a group were willing to put in enough effort though, it's very possible to put together an actual GUI that edits config for you. I.e. you could have it do most of what the UIs in Ubuntu do, plus all the new features, then leave direct config editing to power users.