Uninstalling a "unknown" package installs new stuff -> totally unexpected

[Hartmut Goebel]

Hi,

TL;DR: Removing packages makes to guix behave *totally* unexpected. guix
should at least output some explanation to reduce the confusion.

I've build a vm-image using my development environment ("./pre-inst-env
guix system vm-image …"). Now within the VM I have

- guix 0.13.0-8.357ab93,

- kdelibs4support 5.39.0,

- plasma-nm 5.11.2.

The installed guix differs from the one used to build the vm-image
(modified commit 9ae29fc0e): The later defines some version of guix
(0.13.0-8.357ab93) which will go into the vm-image. This means, the
installed guix does not know the new package plasma-nm and for
kdelibs4support is known 5.37 (while 5.39 is installed).

Now when I try to uninstall plasma-nm (within the vm), guix starts
downloading stuff. Esp. it starts with "binutils-bootstrap-0".

# guix package --profile=/run/current-system/profile --remove plasma-nm

I would have expected guix to simply remove the links for the package
from the profile. Even for me a an somewhat experienced user this is
*totally* unexpected. IMHO is crazy, since the system is running already
and FMPOV there is *nothing* todo but removing some links from the profile.

I would have had some (even little) acceptance for this behavior, *if*
I'd removed kdelibs4support, since kdelibs4support has some other
referrers, which *might* have some other effects. But for plasma-nm,
this is unexpected.

Whatever is happening here, guix should at least output some explanation
to reduce the confusion.

# guix gc --referrers /gnu/store/…-plasma-nm-5.11.2
/gnu/store/…-profile
/gnu/store/…-plasma-nm-5.11.2

# guix gc --referrers /gnu/store/…-kdelibs4support-5.39.0/
/gnu/store/…-plasma-desktop-5.11.2
/gnu/store/…-kdelibs4support-5.39.0
/gnu/store/…-profile
/gnu/store/…-khotkeys-5.11.2
/gnu/store/…-kdeplasma-addons-5.11.2
/gnu/store/…-plasma-nm-5.11.2
/gnu/store/…-kmenuedit-5.11.2
/gnu/store/…-plasma-workspace-5.11.2

-- 
Regards
Hartmut Goebel

| Hartmut Goebel          | address@hidden               |
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