Re: [PATCH] remove obsolete functions

[Oliver Kiddle <opk@xxxxxxx>]

I've been noting down functions for dead projects as I came across them and my
list included most of those you mention and a few more besides.

My intention was to wait till a major release gets nearer and then
follow up on workers/44804 where I suggested a configure option with
some completions moved aside to a Contrib directory. That was partly
focussed on the few functions we have with GPL licencing in the header.
Having a complicated licence situation creates more beaurcratic work for
some packagers than it would be to simply rewrite (or offload) three
completion functions. We should aim to restore the LICENCE file to
unadulterated form without the GPL mentions.

> - _arg_compile -- last updated in 2001, no results on-line since

I can see where Bart is coming from with his reservations but in 25 years
nobody has been inspired to use it. It could be resurrected if someone wants to
experiment. So my vote goes to remove.

> - _cplay -- last compatible implementation abandoned in 2021

Is github.com/xi/cplay-ng/ incompatible? Could perhaps send them a copy and
tell them to update it and include it themselves if they want it,

> - mere/_mere -- last updated 2004, no results on-line

I use this regularly. It is admittedly broken on mandoc based systems and
mandoc includes the functionality itself so I conditionally replace it with an
alias. Perhaps groff does too?

> - _netscape -- browser discontinued in 2008? at the latest?

I was going to suggest adding it to the compdef line of _webbrowser but
actually, it'd be better to strip that down to little more than dillo,
konquerer and opera. Perhaps adding other newer browsers but only if they
actually accept filenames and URLs as arguments.

My removal list also had:

_aap - can't find in any repo; website gone, author sadly gone too.
_bittorrent - the protocol lives on but can't find the original reference software anywhere
_csup - not sure when FreeBSD dropped it but quite a few releases ago
_portaudit - last update 2007, long gone from ports
_initctl - I think this is from upstart which is dead since 2014. If kept, it could be renamed and moved under Linux.
_rebootin - from the Mandriva directory.
_urpmi - and Mandriva appears to have ceased. 
_tla - I think these died as git became dominant
_baz
_arch_archives
_arch_namespace
_monotone
_mondo - mondoarchive, some backup utility that I can't find anymore
_pump - seems to be a Linux only bootp utility and the only references are ancient online man pages
_totd - ancient man pages again the only reference
_git-buildpackage - The command has perhaps been renamed and the Debian package
includes a zsh completion. Any debian user able to confirm? The Debian stuff in
general has not been so well cared for since Clint left.

My incomplete list of things to move to Contrib was as follows. Perhaps these
should be removed instead. If anyone feels strongly that we need completion for
those that are GPL licenced, I could rewrite them.

_twisted  - causes name clashes with other utilities
_mysqldiff - obscure, you need to go to the website of a former zsh dev to find it
_xmms2
_osc - header asserts GPL licence
_zypper - header asserts GPL licence
_qdbus - header asserts GPL licence
_growisofs - low quality completion including obscenities. lots of options, very out-of-date
_bogofilter - lives on (just) but doubt it gets much use
_devtodo - Theres a devtodo2 which is a complete rewrite and has 2 at the end of the command name
_espeak - project seems fairly dead, though an espeak-ng exists.
_guilt - packages still in Debian but otherwise fairly dead

An alternative would be to offload these onto the zsh-completions project. From
them, I would poach _age and _nano which are both ZSH licenced.

My file also included notes on renames/moves.

Rename
_analyseplugin - to _ladspa

Move
_ip - to Linux (from Unix)
_htop - to Unix (from Linux)
_loadkeys - to Linux (from Unix) and arguably rename to _kbd
_modutils -> _kmod
_pkgadd, _pkgrm, _pkginfo - to Solaris (from Unix) or remove
_pkg_instance - to Solaris/Type/_pkg_instances (from Unix/Command)

Should we just remove the old pkg tools? Solaris 11 replaced these. They
may have also been applicable to SCO or Xenix or some other largely dead
SysV OS.

I would also suggest that none of these removals be applied to the
stable 5.9 branch. Not sure if you intended that.

Oliver