• GuybrushThreepwo0d@programming.dev
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    1 year ago

    I don’t consider myself a dumb person but I couldn’t figure out nix when last I decided to play with it. Theoretically it seems super interesting to me, but I really just can’t dedicate the time again now to learn that esoteric syntax.

    • Chewy@discuss.tchncs.de
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      1 year ago

      The docs for NixOS aren’t good. Much knowledge is on many blogs but who knows them all?

      Having the OS defined declaratively is great but I also dislike the Nix language.

      Once it’s setup NixOS is great. Sharing configs with PC and laptop is awesome. Rollbacks are baked in.

      Going off the https://github.com/Misterio77/nix-starter-configs helped me gettung started.

      • silicon_reverie@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I absolutely loved NixOS on paper, and it’s undoubtedly the best way to combat updates that break my dependency trees, but I still found myself spending a majority of my time attempting to hard-code various app configuration files into my convoluted configuration.nix with its esoteric syntax rather than actually using my computer. Am I missing something, or does a good install script covering my favorite packages and a git bare repo storing my dot-files get me 90% of the way there without the hassle of bending my whole OS around a single nix config monstrosity?

        • Chewy@discuss.tchncs.de
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          1 year ago

          Agreed, I’m also considering switching to an install script + btrfs snapshots. It worked quite well a few years ago, altough it doesn’t solve configuration drift.

    • monk@lemmy.unboiled.info
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      1 year ago

      The syntax is just the outer layer, the whole concept inside it is alien. It’s like a smartphone for a person who’s only seen books.