---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Mats Ahlgren To: cabal-devel@haskell.org Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 01:34:01 -0400 Subject: cabal installation failure Hello,

I've installed Cabal once in the past with no trouble. However I can no longer do so.

I tried to install Cabal on a new computer: - I visited http://www.haskell.org/cabal/download.html and got the latest version - I followed the directions in the README file - No error messages were thrown, the process was "successful" and I now have a ~/.cabal directory --but-- it doesn't seem as if I have a 'cabal' command in /usr/bin or /usr/local/bin or even anywhere in the ~/.cabal directory. - There was no extra information in the README file; no examples of how to proceed or sample usage - I then followed the directions to view the user docs online. After locating them, it seems there are no instructions for end-users, just for people who wish to submit packages. - I then looked at http://hackage.haskell.org/trac/hackage/wiki/CabalInstall and noticed there was another way to do this -- with a ./bootstrap.sh -- but this file is missing in the latest version.

The end result is that even after 2 hours, I am unable to figure out why Cabal is not working. If I was a new user, I wouldn't even know what Cabal does.

I attempted to file a bug, but then saw I was unable to because the Trac installation is protected with basic http authentication.

I write this out of concern, because these issues with documentation (and what may be a critical bug) may make people shy away from Haskell as a platform. Also if anyone might have insight into how to fix this, it would be much appreciated; thank you.

Sincerely, Mats

platform: Linux, Ubuntu "Karmic", GHC version 6.10.4; further information available upon request