Tracking: implementation of RFC 0146 meta.categories

[Aleksanaa]

Since Anderson Torres said they don't have time recently, we probably should start this work sooner rather than later.

RFC:

https://github.com/NixOS/rfcs/blob/master/rfcs/0146-meta-categories.md
NixOS/rfcs#146

Prior attempts:

• [wip] create maintainers/categories-set.nix #230439
• [wip] create categories.nix  #325357

Main tasks

• Establish an initial categorization team
• Discuss main directions and reference targets
• Decide an initial list of categories
• Implement meta.categories field
• Motivate people to label as many categories as possible
• Make nix search and search.nixos.org support categories?

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CC @AndersonTorres @7c6f434c @natsukium @fgaz @GetPsyched @Lyndeno @pyrotelekinetic

[tomodachi94]

I think it would be good to add the field before deciding which categories will initially be added, to avoid a major technical piece from being delayed by debate over which categories should be included. I think it would also be reasonable to add the categories one-by-one as the team starts categorizing things (thus, no categories will be added that aren't used, and there will be a reduced amount of complaining about some categories not being included initially). I am interested in opinions against either of those things.

[7c6f434c]

My personal opinion is that adding a field should reasonably happen after having at least one category defined, and adding at least one category defined should reasonably happen after writing down at least a general direction of how the base categories will be discussed and added. This directional design should have at least a majority support among people having actively confirmed the participation in the categorisation group.

[tomodachi94]

@NixOS/categorization: would a Matrix channel be helpful for coordination?

[SigmaSquadron]

would a Matrix channel be helpful for coordination?

Smaller matrix channels for teams are usually better than dog-piling on #dev:nixos.org

Here's a first draft for the channel icon:

Colours are from the GNOME HIG.
The icon is from Material Design. (Apache 2.0)

[tomodachi94]

Created at https://matrix.to/#/#nixpkgs-categorization:matrix.org. I invited all of the team members whose Matrix handles I could find (couldn't find @pyrotelekinetic's).