packages (provided that they have a `meta.description' attribute).
E.g.,
$ ./src/nix-env/nix-env -qa --description gcc
gcc-4.0.2 GNU Compiler Collection, 4.0.x (cross-compiler for sparc-linux)
gcc-4.0.2 GNU Compiler Collection, 4.0.x (cross-compiler for mips-linux)
gcc-4.0.2 GNU Compiler Collection, 4.0.x (cross-compiler for arm-linux)
gcc-4.0.2 GNU Compiler Collection, 4.0.x
instantiation, e.g. "nix-env -i" and "nix-env -qas" (but not
"nix-env -qa"). It turns out that many redundant calls to
addToStore(path) were made, which reads and hashes the entire path.
For instance, the bash bootstrap binary in Nixpkgs would be read and
hashed many times. As a result nix-env would spend around 92% of
its time in the function sha256_block (according to callgrind).
Some simple memoization fixes this.
permission to the Nix store or database. E.g., `nix-env -qa' will
work, but `nix-env -qas' won't (the latter needs DB access). The
option `--readonly-mode' forces this mode; otherwise, it's only
activated when the database cannot be opened.
