Re: Simple reconfigure

[Chris Marusich]

address@hidden writes:

> ISTM the doc sets "cons traps" for new users. e.g., 
>
> 6.2.1 Using the Configuration System 
> ...
>        (file-systems (cons (file-system
>                              (device "my-root")
> ...
>        (users (cons (user-account
>                      (name "alice")
> ...
>
> I call these "cons traps" because the first thing our new user may do is
> add a file system or user and be greeted by a scheme error ...
>
> Wrong number of arguments to #<procedure cons (_ _)>
>
> WDYT of replacing all these uses of cons with cons*? - George

The schemer in me wants to say, "But cons is simpler, and if they don't
yet know what cons is, then now is a good time to learn!"  But the new
user in me remembers stumbling over the same problem in the beginning,
too.

New users are quickly going to need to learn about "cons" and "cons*"
and even more schemey things if they want to start hacking on their
system using Guix.  However, if we can reduce the number of surprises by
avoiding these "cons traps" (cute term, by the way!) in our
documentation's examples, I agree it would probably give new users a
better experience.

If others agree it's a good idea (or I hear no complaints), I'd be happy
to scan the docs for "cons traps" and similar issues in our
documentation's examples, and change them to be a little more robust.

-- 
Chris

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