[Haskell-cafe] problem installing pivotal

[Ivan Miljenovic]

On 3 August 2010 15:02, rustom <rustompmody at gmail.com> wrote:
> I tried to install pivotal
> According to the site I must do:
> ghc  --make Main -fglasgow-exts -package plugins
>
> I get
> cant satisfy package plugins

Which version of GHC are you using?  If you're using 6.12, then you're
out of luck: plugins won't work with it yet.

> I believe the more general problem is that one has to choose between
> 'direct' cabal installs and using debian's packages.  At least this is
> the same situation Ive seen before in python, ruby etc.

Preferably, use a distro package if there is one.  If there isn't,
then use cabal-install to install it to your home directory (which
means you'll have to maintain it yourself).

> So this is really 2 questions:
> 1. How to remove this error and install pivotal

cabal install pivotal (if you have GHC-6.10.*)

> 2. Is it better to install haskell-platform or is it better to have a
> minimal install of ghc and then use hackage/cabal [Or is this a type-
> wrong question :-) ]

In general, I recommend you stick with your distribution's packages as
much as possible (assuming they're kept up to date) and only resort to
cabal-install when necessary; distribution packages typically interact
with the system (in terms of non-Haskell dependencies, etc.) better.

-- 
Ivan Lazar Miljenovic
Ivan.Miljenovic at gmail.com
IvanMiljenovic.wordpress.com