Eight Months of NixOS
10 days ago
- #System Configuration
- #Linux
- #NixOS
- Switched from macOS to Linux for more control over the system, choosing NixOS for its declarative package management.
- Used a Thinkpad T450s for good hardware support, with everything working out of the box except the fingerprint reader.
- Faced an issue with a replacement battery not being recognized initially, but resolved it with a reset procedure.
- Appreciates NixOS for declarative system configuration, allowing explicit management of installed programs and configurations.
- Plans to migrate server to NixOS for declarative management of services like nginx and systemd.
- Customized the setup with a tiling window manager (awesomewm) and personalized workspaces and bars for system monitoring.
- Criticizes the Nix language for lacking features like a strong static type system and clear documentation on packaging.
- Highlights the challenge of sparse documentation and the steep learning curve for new users.
- Recommends NixOS only to power users willing to deal with its complexities for the benefits of declarative configuration.
- Suggests improvements for the NixOS community: better documentation, faster rebuilds for trivial changes, and version lockfiles.
- Overall satisfied with the switch to Linux and NixOS, despite its challenges, and plans to continue using it.