Subject: Re: [bug#45704] [PATCH] gnu: Remove QT 4.

From: Efraim Flashner <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2021 14:53:40 +0200

On Wed, Jan 06, 2021 at 02:58:37PM -0500, Leo Famulari wrote:
> This package has been unsupported upstream for several years:
> 
> https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/guix-devel/2016-02/msg00596.html
> 
> I suggest we apply this patch as part of a major update — either a core-updates
> merge, or a new release.
> 
> We should notify the people who contributed or maintained the affected packages
> so that they have ample time to update the packages and avoid their removal.
> 
> What do you think?

I've added some in-line notes

> * gnu/packages/qt.scm (qt-4, python2-pyqt-4): Remove variables.

qt-4 when nothing depends on it, python2-pyqt-4 whenever

> * gnu/packages/chemistry.scm (avogadro): Remove variable.

I hear this has been superseded by development of avogadro2, but someone
using it might want to let us know.

> * gnu/packages/education.scm (tipp10): Remove variable.

Debian has built this with qt-5
(https://sources.debian.org/src/tipp10/2.1.0-5/debian/)

> * gnu/packages/engineering.scm (qucs, qucs-s): Remove variables.

I don't know anything about this

> * gnu/packages/messaging.scm (pybitmessage): Remove variable.

I believe first introduced by Nikita, I don't know if they still use it,
and I'm disappointed by the stable release being years old and still
using qt4 and python2. I hear there is no concrete plans upstream for
the next release still.

> * gnu/packages/password-utils.scm (keepassx): Remove variable.

IMO superseded by keepassxc

> * gnu/packages/pdf.scm (poppler-qt4): Remove variable.

Apparently nothing depends on this, so probably free to go.

I'd like to hear from someone with regards to avogadro, perhaps also
qucs.

I'd also like to remind everyone that guix time-machine can be used to
go back to before these will be removed :)

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Efraim Flashner   <[email-masked]>   אפרים פלשנר
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