bug#25638: [Hunting]: linux libre 4.4.18 tarball has disappeared

[zimoun]

Dear,

This bug report #25638 <http://issues.guix.gnu.org/issue/25638> is about
the linux-libre tarballs for version 4.4.18 are no longer available on
their usual locations.


>> As a short-term fix could we upload the tarball for 4.4.18 to
>> ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/mirror as done before[1] for 3.3.8?
>>
>> [1]: https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=14851

Currently, such tarballs are not served by
<alpha.gnu.org/gnu/guix/mirror>, if I read correctly.


>> The lack of this tarball doesn’t hurt most users because a substitute
>> for the tarball is available on hydra, but this doesn’t help when
>> building everything without substitutes.
>
> When building without substitutes, users should end up downloading:
>
>   
> https://mirror.hydra.gnu.org/file/linux-libre-4.4.18-gnu.tar.xz/sha256/0k8k17in7dkjd9d8zg3i8l1ax466dba6bxw28flxizzyq8znljps
>
> … which is still available.

Well, I am not sure to correctly understand the API of <ci.guix.gnu.org>
in order to see if the tarball is currently on the build farm.

Is such version reachable with "guix time-machine"?  I guess no, so does
it make sense to keep the tarball?


> If disk space is a problem, I think it would be great if we could agree
> on “pinning” specific versions that should never vanish from
> ftp.gnu.org.  That way we could ensure future reproducibility of
> Linux-libre and GuixSD.

Such issue is discussed in #42162, especially the thread starting here:

   <http://issues.guix.gnu.org/issue/42162#4>


Therefore, if the linux-libre 4.4.18 tarballs is substituable on
<ci.guix.gnu.org>, I suggest to close this bug.  WDYT?


All the best,
simon