Simon TournierSep 12, 2025

#Guix installed via #Debian, popcon statistics:

https://qa.debian.org/popcon.php?package=guix

Reading #LWN’s article « Removing Guix from Debian » makes me sad. 😢

https://lwn.net/Articles/1035491/

I feel bad because we collectively failed to take care about the whole community. For sure, technical challenges are around but the main topic is an organisational and human-resource failure, IMHO.

Somehow, a “bug” needs to slap our face before being fixed. Let hope the current situation will pave the way of a better.

Popularity Contest Statistics -- Debian Quality Assurance

Show threadPjotr PrinsSep 13, 2025
@zimoun I don't agree. The Guix community can not really take care of other distros. If people were really using the package they would keep it going. Debian is managed by a large group of packagers. It is a success story (just like Guix). Guix falling off just means that no one is really interested inside Debian. That is really unsurprising. Different philosophy. And we don't need that Debian package ourselves (I still use Debian too). The installer is great.
Show threadSimon Tournier

Hey @pjotrprins, Well, @vagrantc is really interested by Guix itself (see their long list of contributions 😀) and by Debian (as Debian Developer).

FWIW, I think you are underestimating the impact of being distributed as a Debian package. We like it or not but being a Debian package increases the trust that some sysadmins are reluctant to provide.

The main issue isn't about differences or philosphy, it's about the lack of communications and a clear process by people behind guix-security. No blame, as said the “failure” appears to me 1) collective and 2) unavoidable with the current “process”.

Somehow, I'm not saying that Guix must package for other distros, neither that Guix must care about how the other distros internally works; for both I agree with you: not our business! 😁 Instead, I'm saying that we just badly behaved as all the other (upstream) projects we, more than often, complain about.

Sep 15, 2025 at 7:45amWeb
Show threadEfraim FlashnerSep 15, 2025
@zimoun
One of those things I could totally do (but probably shouldn't) would be to produce Debian packages of guix (and libraries as needed) for several architectures and releases and derivatives.
@pjotrprins @vagrantc
Show threadEfraim FlashnerSep 15, 2025
@zimoun
Ok, I can't hold it back more. I have guix packaged for powerpc-linux here: https://flashner.co.il/debian/pool/main/g/guix/ . Real Debian repo and everything. Probably have to rebuild it since it's from before the time64 transition.
@pjotrprins @vagrantc
Index of /debian/pool/main/g/guix

Show threadLudovic CourtèsSep 15, 2025

@efraim Yay, good’ol PowerPC, well done!

@vagrantc @pjotrprins @zimoun

Show threadLudovic CourtèsSep 15, 2025

@efraim But also, there’s been a lot of great work by Vagrant packaging all things Guile in Debian; we should organize to protect it from bitrot and see how we can benefit from it, whether or not Guix itself is in Debian.

@vagrantc @pjotrprins @zimoun

Show threadSimon TournierSep 15, 2025

@efraim Awesome! Well done!

@vagrantc @pjotrprins

Show threadFelix LechnerSep 15, 2025

@zimoun @pjotrprins @vagrantc Hi, Guix's rolling monorepo does not meet Debian's expectations because Debian is structured around shipping well-tested point releases that are patched by upstream when security issues arise.

There is no way Vagrant or the guix-security team can comply with those standards.

For a variety of cultural and technical factors, Guix is unlikely to satisfy Debian's expectations of professionalism in the near future.

It is a watershed moment.