Re:Ask HN: Configuration Management for Personal Computer?
by vbrandl on Monday August 12, 2019 @04:33AM
(#20673589)
You don't have to ditch Ubuntu right away. You can install the nix package manager on any Linux distro (and I think also *BSD and MacOS). That way you can play around with it first. You won't get the full power of NixOS but it's a good way to get started.
Re:Ask HN: Configuration Management for Personal Computer?
by funcDropShadow on Monday August 12, 2019 @03:30AM
(#20673265)
Docker tries to solve these problems only on the surface. Nothing in a Dockerfile guarantees reproducability. Try docker build of you favorite Dockerfile today and next week. The images probably won't be the same. Whereas NixOS allows you to build the exact same system now and whenever you want. Although, you'd have to pin the nixpkgs you are using.
Re:Ask HN: Configuration Management for Personal Computer?
by pknopf on Monday August 12, 2019 @09:07PM
(#20681841)
Sure, they won't be the same, but they will be damn close. We aren't looking for the same md5 checksums. That goal isn't worth it.
Sounds very similar to Docker's philosophy, where changes to the system produce incremental changes to the system image and all dependencies are strictly controlled.
What else do I need to be convinced to leave my Ubuntu system for NixOS?