Continuous integration for el-get packages

[elliottslaughter]

I dread reinstalling my el-get setup, because it seems like every time I try, one or more packages are inevitably broken. Today, it was undo-tree, a couple months back it was org-mode, and there are many others I'm sure I've forgotten over the years. Commonly used packages tend to get fixed eventually, but "eventually" is long enough that, like I said, inevitably something is broken every time I reinstall.

This issue is not about any specific package, but about the process: is it time perhaps to set up a CI for el-get packages, as opposed to just el-get itself? It doesn't need to be often, but something that can run once a day (ish) and report package installation failures would go a long way towards correcting issues in the ecosystem. And if a package is breaking repeatedly then that may indicate a low-quality or understaffed project that perhaps should be reconsidered in the el-get package database.

[lispstudent]

Same here.

I am a fan of el-get. It is simply the best, according to my use-case. I won't change it with any other package handler. But often things are not smooth as they could.

They way I fix potential issues with packages on my side is to cull my own small curated el-get package "repo", so that at least I kind of know where to look.

But, for example, I cannot recommend el-get to fellow students, as it can be very soon a road block to using Emacs, instead of a trusty sidekick.

[dimitri]

Hi @elliottslaughter and @lispstudent ; thanks for those comments!

One key design choice I made with el-get is this idea of distributed recipe handling. I didn't want to design a central place for recipes like MELPA is, even though a central place allows for curating the recipe list. Maybe what could be done now is a concept of an el-get distribution, and we could build a first curated distribution of tested el-get recipes?

I can't remember the details and implementation of el-get, it might be that the code already deals with such a distribution concept, but I'd be surprised. Who wants to work on that and contribute this features, and then who wants to create, curate, and maintain a quality stable distribution for el-get?

[lispstudent]

@dimitri Thank you for reading and replying to this ticket.

To be frank, you are one of my Common Lisp heroes, for the wonderful pgloader, whose code I have been studying for inspiration. Also, I loved the https://github.com/dimitri/kids repo.

To me, an el-get distribution would be such a good and progressive improvement. I am not a a proficient elisp-coder, especially for el-get standard. Is there any way to create a "Discussion" section in this GitHub repository, like, for example, kons-9, so that proficient contributors from the past could be involved?

[dimitri]

I believe https://github.com/dimitri/el-get/discussions should be open for new discussions!

[lispstudent]

Wow, very nice!

@elliottslaughter would you feel like bringing this ticket there and start a discussion? Who among the numerous contributors could help as a moderator, even just for this one? A proper knowledge of the code would be good for such role.

[elliottslaughter]

Posted: #2870