From 7979d77fa8aca002282ad1e4c03e1244aa5d1dd1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: EuAndreh <eu@euandre.org>
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2025 17:34:46 -0300
Subject: src/content/blog/: Upgrade 4 files to asciidoc

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 1 file changed, 101 insertions(+), 105 deletions(-)

(limited to 'src/content/blog/2019/06/02/nixos-stateless-workstation.adoc')

diff --git a/src/content/blog/2019/06/02/nixos-stateless-workstation.adoc b/src/content/blog/2019/06/02/nixos-stateless-workstation.adoc
index c0cfe75..541440b 100644
--- a/src/content/blog/2019/06/02/nixos-stateless-workstation.adoc
+++ b/src/content/blog/2019/06/02/nixos-stateless-workstation.adoc
@@ -1,150 +1,146 @@
 = Using NixOS as an stateless workstation
 
-date: 2019-06-02
-
-layout: post
-
-lang: en
-
-ref: using-nixos-as-an-stateless-workstation
-
----
-
-Last week[^last-week] I changed back to an old[^old-computer] Samsung laptop, and installed
-[NixOS](https://nixos.org/) on it.
-
-After using NixOS on another laptop for around two years, I wanted
-verify how reproducible was my desktop environment, and how far does
-NixOS actually can go on recreating my whole OS from my configuration
-files and personal data. I gravitated towards NixOS after trying (and
-failing) to create an `install.sh` script that would imperatively
-install and configure my whole OS using apt-get. When I found a
-GNU/Linux distribution that was built on top of the idea of
-declaratively specifying the whole OS I was automatically convinced[^convinced-by-declarative-aspect].
-
-I was impressed. Even though I've been experiencing the benefits of Nix
-isolation daily, I always felt skeptical that something would be
-missing, because the devil is always on the details. But the result was
-much better than expected!
+:empty:
+:nixos: https://nixos.org/
+
+Last
+week{empty}footnote:last-week[
+  "Last week" as of the start of this writing, so around the end of May 2019.
+] I changed back to an
+old{empty}footnote:old-computer[
+  I was using a 32GB RAM, i7 and 250GB SSD Samsung laptop.  The switch was back
+  to a 8GB RAM, i5 and 500GB HDD Dell laptop.  The biggest difference I noticed
+  was on faster memory, both RAM availability and the disk speed, but I had
+  250GB less local storage space.
+] Samsung laptop, and installed {nixos}[NixOS] on it.
+
+After using NixOS on another laptop for around two years, I wanted verify how
+reproducible was my desktop environment, and how far does NixOS actually can go
+on recreating my whole OS from my configuration files and personal data.  I
+gravitated towards NixOS after trying (and failing) to create an `install.sh`
+script that would imperatively install and configure my whole OS using apt-get.
+When I found a GNU/Linux distribution that was built on top of the idea of
+declaratively specifying the whole OS I was automatically
+convinced{empty}footnote:convincend-by-declarative-aspect[
+  The declarative configuration aspect is something that I now completely take
+  for granted, and wouldn't consider using something which isn't declarative.  A
+  good metric to show this is me realising that I can't pinpoint the moment when
+  I decided to switch to NixOS.  It's like I had a distant past when this wasn't
+  true.
+].
+
+I was impressed.  Even though I've been experiencing the benefits of Nix
+isolation daily, I always felt skeptical that something would be missing,
+because the devil is always on the details.  But the result was much better than
+expected!
 
 There were only 2 missing configurations:
 
-1.  tap-to-click on the touchpad wasn't enabled by default;
-2.  the default theme from the gnome-terminal is "Black on white"
-    instead of "White on black".
+. tap-to-click on the touchpad wasn't enabled by default;
+. the default theme from the gnome-terminal is "Black on white" instead of
+  "White on black".
 
 That's all.
 
-I haven't checked if I can configure those in NixOS GNOME module, but I
-guess both are scriptable and could be set in a fictional `setup.sh`
-run.
+I haven't checked if I can configure those in NixOS GNOME module, but I guess
+both are scriptable and could be set in a fictional `setup.sh` run.
 
-This makes me really happy, actually. More happy than I anticipated.
+This makes me really happy, actually.  More happy than I anticipated.
 
-Having such a powerful declarative OS makes me feel like my data is the
-really important stuff (as it should be), and I can interact with it on
-any workstation. All I need is an internet connection and a few hours to
-download everything. It feels like my physical workstation and the
-installed OS are serving me and my data, instead of me feeling as
-hostage to the specific OS configuration at the moment. Having a few
-backup copies of everything important extends such peacefulness.
+Having such a powerful declarative OS makes me feel like my data is the really
+important stuff (as it should be), and I can interact with it on any
+workstation.  All I need is an internet connection and a few hours to download
+everything.  It feels like my physical workstation and the installed OS are
+serving me and my data, instead of me feeling as hostage to the specific OS
+configuration at the moment.  Having a few backup copies of everything important
+extends such peacefulness.
 
 After this positive experience with recreating my OS from simple Nix
-expressions, I started to wonder how far I could go with this, and
-started considering other areas of improvements:
+expressions, I started to wonder how far I could go with this, and started
+considering other areas of improvements:
 
 == First run on a fresh NixOS installation
 
 Right now the initial setup relies on non-declarative manual tasks, like
-decrypting some credentials, or manually downloading **this** git
-repository with specific configurations before **that** one.
+decrypting some credentials, or manually downloading *this* git repository with
+specific configurations before *that* one.
 
-I wonder what some areas of improvements are on this topic, and if
-investing on it is worth it (both time-wise and happiness-wise).
+I wonder what some areas of improvements are on this topic, and if investing on
+it is worth it (both time-wise and happiness-wise).
 
 == Emacs
 
-Right now I'm using the [Spacemacs](http://spacemacs.org/), which is a
-community package curation and configuration on top of
-[Emacs](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/).
+:spacemacs: https://spacemacs.org/
+:emacs: https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/
+:layers: https://spacemacs.org/doc/LAYERS.html
+:there: https://nixos.org/nixos/manual/index.html#module-services-emacs-adding-packages
+:packages: https://www.gnu.org/software/guix/manual/en/html_node/Application-Setup.html#Emacs-Packages
+
+Right now I'm using the {spacemacs}[Spacemacs], which is a community package
+curation and configuration on top of {emacs}[Emacs].
 
-Spacemacs does support the notion of
-[layers](http://spacemacs.org/doc/LAYERS.html), which you can
+Spacemacs does support the notion of {layers}[layers], which you can
 declaratively specify and let Spacemacs do the rest.
 
-However this solution isn't nearly as robust as Nix: being purely
-functional, Nix does describe everything required to build a derivation,
-and knows how to do so. Spacemacs it closer to more traditional package
-managers: even though the layers list is declarative, the installation
-is still very much imperative. I've had trouble with Spacemacs not
-behaving the same on different computers, both with identical
-configurations, only brought to convergence back again after a
-`git clean -fdx` inside `~/.emacs.d/`.
+However this solution isn't nearly as robust as Nix: being purely functional,
+Nix does describe everything required to build a derivation, and knows how to do
+so.  Spacemacs it closer to more traditional package managers: even though the
+layers list is declarative, the installation is still very much imperative.
+I've had trouble with Spacemacs not behaving the same on different computers,
+both with identical configurations, only brought to convergence back again after
+a `git clean -fdx` inside `~/.emacs.d/`.
+
+The ideal solution would be managing Emacs packages with Nix itself.  After a
+quick search I did found that {there}[there is support for Emacs packages in
+Nix].  So far I was only aware of {packages}[Guix support for Emacs packages].
 
-The ideal solution would be managing Emacs packages with Nix itself.
-After a quick search I did found that [there is support for Emacs
-packages in
-Nix](https://nixos.org/nixos/manual/index.html#module-services-emacs-adding-packages).
-So far I was only aware of [Guix support for Emacs packages](https://www.gnu.org/software/guix/manual/en/html_node/Application-Setup.html#Emacs-Packages).
+This isn't a trivial change because Spacemacs does include extra curation and
+configuration on top of Emacs packages.  I'm not sure the best way to improve
+this right now.
 
-This isn't a trivial change because Spacemacs does include extra
-curation and configuration on top of Emacs packages. I'm not sure the
-best way to improve this right now.
+== myrepos
 
-### myrepos
+:myrepos: https://myrepos.branchable.com/
 
-I'm using [myrepos](https://myrepos.branchable.com/) to manage all my
-git repositories, and the general rule I apply is to add any repository
-specific configuration in myrepos' `checkout` phase:
+I'm using {myrepos}[myrepos] to manage all my git repositories, and the general
+rule I apply is to add any repository specific configuration in myrepos'
+`checkout` phase:
 
-```shell
+[source,shell]
+----
 # sample ~/.mrconfig file snippet
 [dev/guix/guix]
 checkout =
   git clone https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/guix.git guix
   cd guix/
   git config sendemail.to guix-patches@gnu.org
-```
+----
 
 This way when I clone this repo again the email sending is already
 pre-configured.
 
-This works well enough, but the solution is too imperative, and my
-`checkout` phases tend to become brittle over time if not enough care is
-taken.
-
-### GNU Stow
-
-For my home profile and personal configuration I already have a few
-dozens of symlinks that I manage manually. This has worked so far, but
-the solution is sometimes fragile and [not declarative at all][symlinks]. I
-wonder if something like [GNU Stow][stow] can help me simplify this.
+This works well enough, but the solution is too imperative, and my `checkout`
+phases tend to become brittle over time if not enough care is taken.
 
-[symlinks]: https://euandre.org/git/dotfiles/tree/bash/symlinks.sh?id=316939aa215181b1d22b69e94241eef757add98d
-[stow]: https://www.gnu.org/software/stow/
+== GNU Stow
 
-## Conclusion
+:not-at-all: https://euandre.org/git/dotfiles/tree/bash/symlinks.sh?id=316939aa215181b1d22b69e94241eef757add98d
+:stow: https://www.gnu.org/software/stow/
 
-I'm really satisfied with NixOS, and I intend to keep using it. If what
-I've said interests you, maybe try tinkering with the [Nix package
-manager](https://nixos.org/nix/) (not the whole NixOS) on your current
-distribution (it can live alongside any other package manager).
+For my home profile and personal configuration I already have a few dozens of
+symlinks that I manage manually.  This has worked so far, but the solution is
+sometimes fragile and {not-at-all}[not declarative at all].  I wonder if
+something like {stow}[GNU Stow] can help me simplify this.
 
-If you have experience with declarative Emacs package managements, GNU
-Stow or any similar tool, *etc.*,
-[I'd like some tips](mailto:{{ site.author.email }}). If you don't have any
-experience at all, I'd still love to hear from you.
+== Conclusion
 
-[^last-week]: "Last week" as of the start of this writing, so around the end of
-    May 2019.
+:nix: https://nixos.org/nix/
 
-[^old-computer]: I was using a 32GB RAM, i7 and 250GB SSD Samsung laptop. The
-    switch was back to a 8GB RAM, i5 and 500GB HDD Dell laptop. The biggest
-    difference I noticed was on faster memory, both RAM availability and the
-    disk speed, but I had 250GB less local storage space.
+I'm really satisfied with NixOS, and I intend to keep using it.  If what I've
+said interests you, maybe try tinkering with the {nix}[Nix package manager] (not
+the whole NixOS) on your current distribution (it can live alongside any other
+package manager).
 
-[^convinced-by-declarative-aspect]: The declarative configuration aspect is
-    something that I now completely take for granted, and wouldn't consider
-    using something which isn't declarative. A good metric to show this is me
-    realising that I can't pinpoint the moment when I decided to switch to
-    NixOS. It's like I had a distant past when this wasn't true.
+If you have experience with declarative Emacs package managements, GNU Stow or
+any similar tool, _etc._, mail me some tips].  If you don't have any experience
+at all, I'd still love to hear from you.
-- 
cgit v1.2.3

