Matthias Görgens
One problem I see is the binary-only distribution of packages. This makes cabal-install incompatible with most distributions except, maybe, gentoo. The automation process would have to run through hackageDB tracking dependencies and compiling each needed library. Pretty hard stuff...
Yes. The sanest approach for any distribution would seem to install are bare bones ghc + cabal (cabal install) and let the cabal package system do the hard work directly.
I don't have much experience with building binary packages, but surely the (binary) distributions should ship (binary) packages of as much as possible of the useful, stable libraries and executables? One reason this is important is that a major feature of binary distributions is providing a homogenous, stable, universal set of packages for all users. This makes bugs a lot more trackable: either they affect all users, or none. -k -- If I haven't seen further, it is by standing in the footprints of giants