[Haskell-community] Request for comment: New haskell.org download page

[Bryan Richter]

On Thu, Sep 24, 2015 at 12:01:26PM -0400, Gershom B wrote:
> On September 24, 2015 at 11:58:17 AM, Michael Snoyman
> (michael at fpcomplete.com) wrote:
> >  
> > I do respectfully disagree with your arguments here: I don't know
> > of any experienced user who wants to specifically use the platform
> > and wouldn't be able to find it without a link on the downloads
> > page[1]. Furthermore, the line of reasoning of "someone may want
> > it" means that we should also include about a dozen other download
> > options on the page…
> 
> I have personally spoken with many many people who want to find that
> link on the downloads page. Certainly they _could_ google for it,
> but they are used to going to the homepage, and clicking download,
> and finding it.

I'll start with a caveat. Since I don't know anyone who likes or uses
the HP, I think hearing their perspective would be valuable. What do
they use it for? How do they avoid its problems? Do they recommend
it to others, who also use it happily? Do they think it needs to
change, or is it fine as-is? If there are existing discussions I
missed because of coming into this late, please point me to them!

I will present my opinion now, having presented that caveat. This
opinion is subject to change if I hear the perspectives of HP
proponents.

I agree that having the HP on the downloads page is harmful, and I
will even go so far as to question its very necessity. It seems to
be geared towards letting people use GHC as a build tool. Although
that is an old and storied paradigm, it's a broken one that serves
no language especially well. Using a language should start at the
build tool, not at the compiler. Whatever the HP represents should
eventually be found in spirit in stack and cabal. The HP itself
should not be on the Downloads page until it can fulfil its purpose
without hamstringing its users. If — as I suspect — it can never
manage such a feat, it should go away entirely, to be replaced by new
features of stack and/or cabal.
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