Re: using an SRFI that is not available in Guile

[Maxime Devos]

Attila Lendvai schreef op wo 12-01-2022 om 16:46 [+0000]:
> dear Guixers,
> 
> when working on the (gnu services configuration) module, i would like
> to use srfi-189, which is not available in Guile
> (https://srfi.schemers.org/srfi-189/srfi-189.html).
> 
> is there any way to add it, or an already established custom for such
> a situation? e.g. adding the .scm file to Guix, preferrably late in
> the load order, until Guile catches up and shadows it with its own?

Instead of bundling it in Guix (which would prevent Guix from being
packaged in Guix, due to point 8 in (guix)Submitting Patches), how
about making it a package available for anyone (not only Guix)?

Have a look at the Guix packages guile-srfi-89/145/158/159/180.

Basically, SRFIs can be implemented like any other module in Guile
and don't have a special status in Guile (except for cond-expand and
some special syntax for importing SRFI modules -- maybe in 'library',
not sure where exactly).

FWIW I don't think there is any need for Guile to ship an
implementation for all SRFIs by itself when they can be implemented as
separate libraries that can be installed with
$FAVOURITE_PACKAGE_MANAGER.

If at some point an implementation of the SRFI is moved into Guile,
then the package definition of guile-srfi-NNN can be removed from Guix
and guile-srfi-NNN can be removed from package inputs.

Greetings,
Maxime.

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