(address . bug-guix@gnu.org)
49f7c34f-38ff-4b4d-be57-1d35c5871df6@alphapapa.net
Hello,
I've been installing and running Emacs through Guix as a foreign distro
for a few years now, and since native compilation was added in Emacs 28
(before it was even released), I've enjoyed using it to the full,
including having Elisp packages which are installed directly inside
Emacs (i.e. not through Guix) be native compiled on-demand.
I just noticed the patch file "emacs-disable-jit-compilation.patch",
which was added to the Emacs package definition fairly recently, and
disables the option `native-comp-jit-compilation' by default. The patch
includes this warning in the docstring:
"Notably, Guix removes the hashes that prevent inadvertent shadowing
frm the file names of compiled libraries in order to facilitate grafts.
Enable at your own risk!"
So, 1. I would ask that this warning be expanded and clarified. For
those of us users who aren't experts in all aspects of Guix, I don't
understand exactly what this means. (I do understand what grafts are,
and I understand how Emacs's ELN files are named to facilitate loading
correct libraries, but I don't know what Guix is doing with the
filenames, and I don't know the implications of that.)
For example, if I enable this variable in my configuration so that
packages not installed through Guix are native-compiled, is that now
expected to break something? Before the patch and accompanying changes
were added, I experienced no problems using native-compilation,
including making use of built-in, ahead-of-time native-compiled
libraries, as well as JIT native-compiled libraries installed with
Emacs's package system.
While I admire Guix's end goal of encompassing everything, I don't want
to install Elisp packages via Guix. (For one, being a developer of
them, it would be impractical. Even otherwise, not every library is
going to be available or up-to-date in Guix, and I don't want to have to
give up native-compilation for them.) I also don't want to be
restricted from using native compilation for non-built-in libraries.
Also, 2. I would ask, if indeed enabling that option is now expected to
break something, that this be remedied in some way. To expect Guix
Emacs users to forego native compilation for Elisp packages installed
from within Emacs would be...well, it would simply be impractical,
because, as I said, it's not practical (or even desirable) to install
all Elisp packages with Guix.
To impose such a limitation on users would be reason enough to abandon
installing Emacs through Guix, even for serious Guix users. And that
would be a shame, because this is one of Guix's great strengths, to
provide up-to-date software, regardless of the underlying system, with
simplicity and reliability. If I were to have to go back to building
and installing Emacs manually, what a regression that would be.
I do want to express my appreciation for the work that was done to get
to this point. I looked through, e.g.
https://issues.guix.gnu.org/67260, and I realize that it took a lot of
hard work to thoroughly integrate Guix with Emacs's native compilation
features. Nevertheless, while the current packaging may be ideal for
the most dedicated Guix users, it seems to have regressed for those of
us who are less "pure" Guix users, who need more flexibility, and who
have enjoyed such in the past.
Thanks,
Adam Porter