Custom conda-forge distribution

Moving some discussion from https://github.com/conda-forge/conda-forge.github.io/issues/22 to a separate issue.

With the new conda constructor its really easy to make a custom conda distribution (for all the platforms: OS X, Linux and Windows) with custom packages from a conda channel. I just tested it with a file like this:

name: centonda
version: 1.0.0

channels:
  - http://repo.continuum.io/pkgs/free/
  - https://conda.anaconda.org/conda-forge

specs:
  - python
  - conda
  - anyjson

At the moment you still need http://repo.continuum.io/pkgs/free/ in the channels list to have python and conda but you can see the idea, if these packages are on the conda-forge channel it would be possible to create a distribution with only community created packages.

It would also be possible to make that custom distribution point to the conda-forge channel by default. Not as straight forward but possible, see conda/constructor#16. With this is possible to keep people updated faster as the channel is updated.

[jakirkham]

Hi all, recently put some work into making a constructor-based conda-forge installer using CIs to build, test, and release the installer as GitHub release assets. Have called it miniforge. Just recently generated installers for all Python versions, OSes, and architectures supported by conda-forge. Each installer also has a corresponding sha256 checksum for verification. Feel free to try out the installers. Would be interested any feedback you have over at that repo.

[SylvainCorlay]

Regarding a general-purpose miniforge, I think that it is becoming a requirement for binary compatibility purpose.

At the moment, if r is installed from conda-forge, we end up with packages from default whenever we e.g. install cmake (also from conda-forge).

As a package author, I would use a pure conda-forge environment should there be one available.