[Haskell-cafe] Re: 1,000 packages, so let's build a few!

[Duncan Coutts]

On Tue, 2009-02-03 at 08:26 +0000, Neil Mitchell wrote:
> Hi
> 
> > GHC doesn't  bundle with cabal-install on any system.
> >
> > What is needed is not for the GHC team to be doing Windows platform
> > packages, but for the Windows Haskell devs to build their own system, as
> > happens on all the Unices.
> >
> > Take GHC's release, wrap it up with native installers, throw in useful
> > libraries and executables like cabal. Done.
> 
> GHC already takes the GHC release, bundles it up with a native
> installer, and then throws in useful executables like gcc. It just
> stops one hop short of "done". Windows is special, we already treat
> Windows special, but currently its just short of useable.

Right, that's the job the platform will take on.

> Duncan: Saying cabal.exe isn't mature enough to go in 6.10 is a
> perfect reason, but one that you never gave at the time. If it isn't
> ready, then that's fine. But if thats the case, will it be in 6.12, or
> will the standard Windows instructions involve hunting around
> haskell.org for a prebuild Cabal.exe?

It'll be in the first platform release which will be well before ghc
6.12.

BTW, I think I've been missing your advice and cajoling about Windows
platforms. It's been rather quiet recently.

Duncan