[Haskell-cafe] When did it become so hard to install Haskell onWindows?

[Anthony Clayden]

Thank you Ben

> I'd urge everyone to keep in mind that our Windows support exists almost
entirely due to the efforts of Tamar; we all owe Tamar a debt of
gratitude for all of the work he has done over the past years. We could
certainly use more people who are able and willing to contribute
resources to help improve GHC's Windows story.

I've tried and tried, to the point where I was clearly considered a nuisance.
I've now given up. And GHC has just got worse since.

I suggest Tamar downloads/installs Hugs [*], then provides (and documents)
 something as easy as that. Wasn't there a GHC equivalent to WinHugs?
That is: something as easy for casual/recreational users/learners of Haskell,
not aimed at Microsoft afficianados.

[*] Sadly, I apologise in advance for this:
https://mail.haskell.org/pipermail/hugs-bugs/2018-July/001914.html

>>* Increasingly, GHC HQ is a cult/elite that doesn't want any new members.*

> To the contrary, we both want and need new contributors!

Not my experience. I was told in polite but unambiguous terms to stop
contributing.

> I would ask anyone who feels that GHC development is exclusionary to please be in
touch; I am very interested to know how we can improve.

I'd like to cite as evidence the survey results Francesco links to:
I don't think I ever got invited to contribute -- where would that have been?
There wasn't an invite on the Hugs-users list.
Note I don't use Reddit because I'm not a brogrammer.

The survey is kinda self-fulfilling: most people don't use GHC on Windows,
because it's too hard to install.

GHC is exclusionary against casual/recreational Haskellers (who are
more likely on Windows)
and those more interested in using it to explore PL Theory.
This is the opposite of how it was when I first grew to love Haskell
around a decade ago.
Just look at the buzz on the cafe back then.


AntC
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