draft: elm-everything-broken

1 files changed, 190 insertions, 85 deletions

diff --git a/posts/elm-everything-broken.md b/posts/elm-everything-broken.md
index 8fa9682..6e86cf6 100644
--- a/posts/elm-everything-broken.md
+++ b/posts/elm-everything-broken.md
@@ -1,33 +1,60 @@
-Title: Everything Is Broken (Elm Install Edition)
+Title: Everything Is Broken (Installing Elm Edition)
 Author: bnewbold
 Date: 2016-05-06
 Status: draft
 
-*This post is mostly a rant about my problems getting a fancy new programming
-language to work on my laptop.*
+*This post is a narrative rant (in the same vein of Dan Luu's ["Everything is
+Broken"][danluu] post) about my problems one afternoon getting a Fancy New
+Programming Language to work on my laptop. Skip to the end for my thoughts on a
+solution.*
 
-A few folks at the Recurse Center had nice things to say about the [Elm
-programming language](https://elm-lang.org), and after watching Evan
-Czaplicki's ["Let's Be Mainstream" talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYk8CKH7OhE)
-I got pretty excited also.
+[danluu]: https://danluu.com/everything-is-broken/
 
-So, I thought, Let's try elm! First place to head is the install page:
+<br />
 
-[http://elm-lang.org/install]()
+<div class="sidebar">
+<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYk8CKH7OhE">
+<img src="/static/fig/elm-evan-talk.jpg" alt="photo of E.C. giving an elm talk" width="240px" />
+</a>
+</div>
 
-Hrm, i've had painful experiences with `npm` in the past, so i'll try build from
-source.
+A few folks here at the [Recurse Center][rc] had nice things to say about the
+[Elm programming language][rc], and after watching Evan Czaplicki's ["Let's Be
+Mainstream" talk][0] I got pretty excited also. Let's try Elm!
 
-[https://github.com/elm-lang/elm-platform]()
+[rc]: https://recurse.com/
+[elm]: https://elm-lang.org
+[0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYk8CKH7OhE
 
-Weird, build from source directions involve some curl-to-file thing. Why not
-just clone the repo and have a makefile? If you don't know how to clone a repo,
-are you really going to know how to get cabal set up, open a terminal and paste
-a command, etc? Anyways, I clone repo and run the script from there instead.
-I'm on debian stable (jessie), so installing Haskell (GHC) is easy, and there
-is a good chance things will just work because this Debian stable is a
-reasonably popular developer platform. I seem to have a recent version of
-cabal:
+First I go in the front door with the [install page][install], which redirects
+me to a page which instructs me to use npm.
+
+[install]: http://elm-lang.org/install
+
+Hrm, I've had painful experiences with npm in the past, and anyways, isn't
+the Elm compiler implemented in Haskell? Why are they using a package
+management tool for Javascript libraries for installation? No thanks, I'll
+[build from source][build], following these directions from the `README.md`:
+
+[build]: https://github.com/elm-lang/elm-platform
+
+    # If you are on LINUX, you need to install a dependency of elm-repl.
+    # Uncomment the following line and run it.
+    # sudo apt-get install libtinfo-dev
+
+    # if you are on windows, or some other place without curl, just download this file manually
+    curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elm-lang/elm-platform/master/installers/BuildFromSource.hs > BuildFromSource.hs
+
+    runhaskell BuildFromSource.hs 0.16
+
+<!-- If you don't know how to clone a repo, are you really going to know how to
+get `cabal` set up, open a terminal and paste a command, etc? -->
+
+Weird that these build-from-source directions involve curl-to-file magics. Why
+not just clone the repo and use a Makefile, which is roughly the same number of
+commands to enter? I clone repo and run the script from there instead.  I'm on
+Debian stable ("jessie"), so installing GHC (the most popular way to use
+Haskell) is easy. I seem to have a recent version of cabal:
 
 <pre class="terminal">
 bnewbold@eschaton$ cabal --version
@@ -35,7 +62,7 @@ cabal-install version 1.20.0.3
 using version 1.20.0.2 of the Cabal library 
 </pre>
 
-so I run the `BuildFromSource.hs` script:
+... so I think i'm ready to go ahead run the `BuildFromSource.hs` script:
 
 <pre class="terminal">
 bnewbold@eschaton$ runhaskell ~/src/elm-platform/installers/BuildFromSource.hs 0.16
@@ -52,11 +79,11 @@ This could be caused by:
 GHCi cannot safely continue in this situation.  Exiting now.  Sorry.
 </pre>
 
-Uh-oh! Not sure what that means. A search returns this:
+Uh-oh! Not sure what that means. A search returns [a FAQ entry][faq-entry]
+about "Duplicate Directions". It doesn't seem like *I* have done anything
+wrong. I'll update `cabal`'s package index:
 
-[https://wiki.haskell.org/GHC/FAQ#Duplicate_Definitions]()
-    
-Doesn't seem like *I* have done anything wrong. I'll update `cabal`:
+[faq-entry]: https://wiki.haskell.org/GHC/FAQ#Duplicate_Definitions
 
 <pre class="terminal">
 bnewbold@eschaton$ cabal update
@@ -66,16 +93,29 @@ http://hackage.haskell.org/packages/archive/00-index.tar.gz : ErrorMisc "Error
 HTTP code: 502"
 </pre>
 
-I assumed I was doing something wrong, but it turns out that the Hackage
-package repository [is down](https://status.haskell.org/):
+At first I assumed I was doing something wrong, or maybe the WiFi was flakey,
+but it turns out that the Hackage package repository [is
+down](https://status.haskell.org/):
 
-    hackage.haskell.org down    Full Service Disruption
-    [Investigating] The hackage server is in an out of memory condition. We're investigating.
+> hackage.haskell.org down
+>
+> Full Service Disruption
+>
+> [Investigating] The hackage server is in an out of memory condition. We're investigating.
 
-Hrm. Well, wasn't even sure if that would fix the problem. I'll give up and try
-`npm`, which these days has been "partially" packaged in Debian. I'll just
-uninstall `npm` when i'm done installing Elm. I install with apt (which pulls
-in a huge list of nodejs packages), but then can finally run:
+<div class="sidebar">
+As far as I know, the only Debian packages out of the huge stable archive which
+don't receive security updates are a set of web browser, mediawiki, and all
+V8/node.js packages and libraries.
+</div>
+
+Well, wasn't even sure if updating my package index would fix the problem. I'll
+give up and try npm, which these days has been [sort of
+packaged][deb-node] in Debian. I'll just uninstall npm when I'm done
+installing Elm. I install with `apt` (which pulls in a huge list of `nodejs`
+packages), but then can finally run:
+
+[deb-node]: https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/release-notes/ch-information.en.html#libv8
 
 <pre class="terminal">
 bnewbold@eschaton$ npm install elm
@@ -100,6 +140,8 @@ npm ERR! You can get their info via:
 npm ERR!     npm owner ls elm
 npm ERR! There is likely additional logging output above.
 
+[...]
+<!--
 npm ERR! System Linux 3.16.0-4-amd64
 npm ERR! command "/usr/bin/nodejs" "/usr/bin/npm" "install" "elm"
 npm ERR! cwd /home/bnewbold/bin
@@ -110,14 +152,23 @@ npm ERR!
 npm ERR! Additional logging details can be found in:
 npm ERR!     /home/bnewbold/bin/npm-debug.log
 npm ERR! not ok code 0
+-->
 </pre>
 
-Looks like Debian wants to call node.js `nodejs` while npm/Elm expects it to be
-called `node`. Ok, I create this shim named `node` in my ~/bin directory (which
-is on my $PATH), and make it executable[1]:
+<div class="sidebar">
+Later I learned that I could have instead installed the nodejs-legacy
+package, which just installs a symlink /usr/bin/node which points to
+/usr/bin/nodejs.
+</div>
+
+Looks like Debian wants to call node.js `nodejs` while npm/Elm expects it to
+be called `node`. Ok, I create this shim named `node` in my `~/bin` directory
+(which is on my `$PATH`), and make it executable:
 
-    #!/bin/sh
-    nodejs $*
+<pre class="terminal">
+#!/bin/sh
+nodejs $*
+</pre>
 
 Now I can do things like:
 
@@ -126,7 +177,7 @@ bnewbold@eschaton$ node --version
 v0.10.29
 </pre>
 
-Great! Now let's install elm:
+Great! Now let's install Elm with npm!
 
 <pre class="terminal">
 bnewbold@eschaton$ npm install elm
@@ -164,27 +215,26 @@ npm ERR!     /home/bnewbold/bin/npm-debug.log
 npm ERR! not ok code 0
 </pre>
 
-This github issue seems to have some tips:
-
-    https://github.com/elm-lang/elm-platform/issues/100
-
-The recommended solutions online are basically "upgrade node.js and npm" or
+Whoops. There is [a github issue][elm-issue] that has some tips about this: the
+recommended solutions online are basically "upgrade node.js and npm" or
 "disable SSL security". That doesn't sound great, but i'm feeling very
-impatient at this point so I try disabling SSL checks with `npm config set ca
-null`, but even with that I get the same certificate error. Enough of that
-approach:
+impatient at this point so I tried disabling SSL checks with npm config set ca
+null`, but even then I get the same certificate error. Enough of that approach:
+
+[elm-issue]: https://github.com/elm-lang/elm-platform/issues/100
 
 <pre class="terminal">
-sudo apt remove npm nodejs-legacy nodejs
+sudo apt remove npm nodejs
 rm ~/bin/node
 </pre>
 
-Poking around a bit more, I find the `fubar.sh` script in the `elm-platform`
-repo, which seems to nuke the local user's Haskell (cabal) stuff (not
-system-wide package, eg apt managed GHC libraries). After running that the
-`BuildFromSource.hs` seems to start working, though Hackage is still down (now,
-an hour after I started this process, at 5 hours total downtime), so I can't
-install dependencies.
+Poking around a bit more, I find the promisingly-titled "`fubar.sh`" script in
+the `elm-platform` repo cloned earlier, which seems to nuke the local user's
+Haskell (`cabal`) stuff (but doesn't muck with system-wide package, eg `apt`
+managed GHC libraries).  After running `fubar.sh` the `BuildFromSource.hs`
+script seems to start working, though Hackage is still down (now, an hour after
+I started this process, approaching 5 hours total downtime), so I can't install
+dependencies.
 
 I search for a hackage mirror and find that [FPComplete runs
 one](https://www.fpcomplete.com/blog/2015/03/hackage-mirror).  In addition to
@@ -199,7 +249,7 @@ fails to build the dependency `websockets-snap`, but I try installing that
 regularly (`cabal install websockets-snap`) and that works, then all the
 dependencies with BuildFromSource.hs build. Yay!
 
-I still get an error with compiling Elm itself though::
+I still get an error with compiling Elm itself though:
 
     src/Elm/Package.hs:60:25:
         Not in scope: `<$>'
@@ -210,11 +260,13 @@ an out of date version of GHC (the Haskell compiler): I have 7.6.3 (the version
 that comes with Debian), and Elm wants 7.10. Fair enough: unlike a package
 manager, I can see how new features in the compiler would be helpful, and when
 I go back and look this is in the README. Fortunately there is a new version of
-GHC in the jessie-backports repo, so:
+GHC in the `jessie-backports` repo, so:
 
-    sudo apt install -t jessie-backports ghc
+<pre class="terminal">
+sudo apt install -t jessie-backports ghc
+</pre>
    
-And now::
+And now:
 
 <pre class="terminal">
 bnewbold@eschaton$ cabal --version
@@ -224,7 +276,7 @@ bnewbold@eschaton$ ghc --version
 The Glorious Glasgow Haskell Compilation System, version 7.10.3
 </pre>
 
-After that, i'm miraculously able to compile. Horray! I add
+After that, I'm miraculously able to compile. Horray! I add
 `~/bin/Elm-Platform/0.16/.cabal-sandbox/bin` to my `$PATH` and I can run:
 
 <pre class="terminal">
@@ -235,39 +287,92 @@ bnewbold@eschaton$ elm-repl
 > 
 </pre>
 
+Success!
 
-Also, through out this debugging experience i've had problems with my external
-Lenovo Thinkpad USB keyboard glitching (workaround: unplug and replug) and with
-WiFi here at the Recurse Center disconnecting (other have the same problem,
-something to do with wireless regulatory zones, but we don't have a fix yet).
+Throughout this debugging experience I had problems with both my external
+[Lenovo Thinkpad USB keyboard][keyboard] glitching (workaround: unplug and
+re-plug) and with WiFi at the Recurse Center disconnecting (workaround: reset
+wifi card). Others here using GNU/Linux have the same wifi problems, but we
+don't have a fix yet... something to do with wireless regulatory zones.
 
-It's not all hard though; installing the `elm.vim` syntax highlighting plugin
-is very easy, just a single `git clone` into ~/.vim/bundle/`.
+It's not all pain though; installing the `elm.vim` syntax highlighting plugin
+was very easy, just a single `git clone` into `~/.vim/bundle/`.
 
-[1]: later I learn that I could instead have installed the `nodejs-legacy`
-     package, which just installs a symlink `/usr/bin/node` which points to
-     `/usr/bin/nodejs`.
+[keyboard]: https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ThinkPad-Compact-Keyboard-TrackPoint/dp/B00F3U4TQS
 
-================
+So Now What?
+----------------
 
-- ironically, elm packaging seems to have some nice features to prevent
-  breakage
-- also, rust packaing seems good (link to cargo post)
+TODO: dan's auto-testing tips
 
-================
+There was a great long-form blog post by Same Boyer a few months ago
+(["So You Want To Write a Package Manager"][5]) which discussed Rust's package
+manager, Cargo.
 
-**Follow up June 18th, 2016:**
+[Yehuda Katz and Carl Lerche][6] designed Cargo.
 
-A new version of Elm (0.17) was 
-[released](http://elm-lang.org/blog/farewell-to-frp)
-was released a few days after writing this post. The new version made some big
-changes, like abandoning the Functional Reactive paradigm. I found that many of
-the new tutorials weren't working with my 0.16 install, so I tried to upgrade.
-After an hour or two of following the directions above, I gave up and installed
-`npm` on a temporary Debian unstable ("sid") virtual machine. Once I added a
-`node` symlink to `nodejs`, I was able to install `elm` with `npm` and develop
-remotely using `screen` and `elm-react`. Frustrating!
+Ironically, given the difficulty I had installing it, the Elm language's
+package manager has a great `diff` tool for checking that any changes in the
+API conform the [documented][8] [semantic versioning][semver] conventions. For
+[example](https://gist.github.com/badboy/a302dd0c9020e5759240):
 
-Also, `https://status.haskell.org` seems to be broken again today, though
-hackage itself seems to work.
+    $ elm-package diff evancz/elm-html 3.0.0 4.0.2
+    Comparing evancz/elm-html 3.0.0 to 4.0.2...
+    This is a MAJOR change.
+    
+    ------ Changes to module Html.Attributes - MAJOR ------
+    
+        Removed:
+            boolProperty : String -> Bool -> Attribute
+            stringProperty : String -> String -> Attribute
+    
+    
+    ------ Changes to module Html.Events - MINOR ------
+    
+        Added:
+            type alias Options =
+                { stopPropagation : Bool, preventDefault : Bool }
+            defaultOptions : Html.Events.Options
+            onWithOptions : String -> Html.Events.Options -> Json.Decode.Decoder a -> (a -> Signal.Message) -> Html.Attribute
+
+This change information is then used to *[programatically enforce][7]* the
+versioning rules and prevent a whole class of simple but annoying  breakages
+due to API change.
+
+[5]: https://medium.com/@sdboyer/so-you-want-to-write-a-package-manager-4ae9c17d9527
+[6]: https://mail.mozilla.org/pipermail/rust-dev/2014-March/009090.html
+[7]: https://github.com/elm-lang/elm-package/blob/master/README.md#version-rules
+[8]: https://github.com/elm-lang/elm-package/blob/master/README.md#publishing-updates
+[semver]: http://semver.org/
+[appcheck]: http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/lsb/linux-application-checker-getting-started
+
+<hr />
+
+#### Follow up June 18th, 2016
+
+A few days after writing this post, a new version of Elm (0.17) was 
+[released](http://elm-lang.org/blog/farewell-to-frp). The new version made some
+big changes, like abandoning the [Functional Reactive Programming][frp]
+paradigm. I found that many of the new tutorials weren't working with my 0.16
+install, so I tried to upgrade.  After an hour or two of following the
+directions above, I gave up and installed npm on a temporary Debian unstable
+("sid") virtual machine. Once I added a `node` symlink to `nodejs`, I was able
+to install `elm` with npm and develop remotely using `screen` and
+`elm-react`. Frustrating!
+
+[frp]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_reactive_programming
+
+<br />
+<center style="font-size: smaller;">
+<img src="/static/fig/status_haskell_broken.png" width="600px" />
+<br />
+Also, status.haskell.org seems to be broken again today, though
+the hackage website works.
+</center>
+
+On the plus side, my USB keyboard problem seems to have been due to the cheap
+random USB cable I was using. Since replacing it I haven't had the bad
+flakey-ness, though now after my laptop awakes from sleep the pointer and
+keyboard work but the middle mouse button ("paste" on UNIX) does not.
+Workaround: plug and unplug the whole keyboard.