I don't believe there's any problem with using both.
You can use the system package manager to install the compiler and add-on manager, and then use that add-on manager to install all the add-ons for that language you want. That seems to be the setup for most distros.
I just use yaourt -S to install everything -- I like only having to know the syntax for one tool, to deal with everything on the system. I don't see much of a reason for using cabal-install, as everything I can think of on hackage is also installable by yaourt -S. Also, using the system tool, it tracks which files on your system are owned by which package, tracks when new upgrades are available for your packages, and handles dependencies on non-haskell packages.
There was just an Arch Haskell blog entry on this:
http://archhaskell.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/arch-haskell-news-feb-16-2009/
If cabal-install messes with a package previously installed with Arch tools, I think the system tool would complain about the package files being messed with if the system tools are doing a package remove. I haven't seen an "uninstall" function for cabal-install?
I think of yaourt mostly just as a wrapper for cabal, that provides a consistent interface for all the dependencies on my system (just wish it wrap all the latest ruby gems that way, too). Oh, if for some reason yaourt happens to not have the most recent version of something you want, you can just edit the version number and tarball address in the PKGBUILD when it asks you.
-Leif Warner
Hello... a newbie question (not installed Arch yet, only decided to give it a try... new to this list, too) :
It seems that haskell packages on Arch can be reliably managed by either cabal-install or arch packages.
I suppose that mixing both is is not recommended ? e.g. using an arch package if it exists else caba-install, or obtaining one by arch yaourt but then upgrading it by cabal install...
So, what would be the drawback of installing as arch packages the minimum to have GHC and cabal-install, and then using exclusively cabal-install to install and upgrade haskell stuff ? What does arch packages bring more than cabal-install, since both manage dependences ?
Thanks, and sorry if the question is naive...
Eric
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