If you're using NixOS on the desktop, sometimes you want to run an obscure piece of software quickly, without packaging it for NixOS, which can be a PITA with proprietary software or software with irregular build processes.
Or maybe you're working in an organization where some instructions are written for another distro, and you just want to be able to follow them word for word the first time you attempt a task, to make sure you understand the process on a 'normal' distro, or because you're troubleshooting with someone who is running another distro. Then NixOS' support for running containers is handy, but afterward you're left running some containers whose reproducibility doesn't match what you've come to expect frok the rest of your system.
> I personally am surprised NixOS hasn't leaned into marketing itself as ideal for creating reproducible containers.
Agreed, I think this is a really good use case for a lot of companies.
Or maybe you're working in an organization where some instructions are written for another distro, and you just want to be able to follow them word for word the first time you attempt a task, to make sure you understand the process on a 'normal' distro, or because you're troubleshooting with someone who is running another distro. Then NixOS' support for running containers is handy, but afterward you're left running some containers whose reproducibility doesn't match what you've come to expect frok the rest of your system.
> I personally am surprised NixOS hasn't leaned into marketing itself as ideal for creating reproducible containers.
Agreed, I think this is a really good use case for a lot of companies.