<p class="info"><strong>Update 2021-03-28:</strong> We got feedback from MELPA: the <code>modus-themes</code>
will stay there after all! The newer parts of the discussion start from
here: <a href="https://github.com/melpa/melpa/issues/7245#issuecomment-808810507">https://github.com/melpa/melpa/issues/7245#issuecomment-808810507</a>.</p>
<p>As you may know, the Modus themes are part of Emacs28 for a few months
now. Their latest version was synced upstream recently (read the
<a href="https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2021-03-04-modus-themes-1-2-0/">release notes of version
1.2.0</a>).
The upgrade took longer than usual because there was a major refactoring
between versions <code>0.13.0</code> and <code>1.0.0</code>: in short, the themes are no
longer standalone files but are instead derived from a common source,
share customisation options and functions/commands, and are easier to
maintain.</p>
<p>This update sets in motion a series of events that I wish to be
transparent about. Users updating from older versions to >= <code>1.0.0</code>,
are advised to read the <a href="https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2021-03/msg00300.html">announcement on the emacs-devel mailing
list</a>.
The <a href="https://protesilaos.com/emacs/modus-themes-changelog/">web page of the change
log</a> is also available.</p>
<h2>Changes for GNU ELPA</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<p>GNU ELPA, the official package archive that comes preconfigured with
Emacs, is instructed to build the new <code>modus-themes</code> package directly
from upstream Emacs. It is considered a <code>:core</code> package, meaning that
whenever we update the themes in emacs.git we will automatically get a
new version on GNU ELPA. This is meant as a convenience for users who
are running a stable version of Emacs, such as Emacs27.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>GNU ELPA also serves as a point of reference and credible source
provider for other package archives such as Guix (see <a href="https://gitlab.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/-/issues/111">issue
111</a> on the
Modus themes’ issue tracker).</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The old GNU ELPA packages <code>modus-operandi-theme</code>,
<code>modus-vivendi-theme</code> (at version <code>0.12.0</code>) will soon be replaced with
code that automatically pulls in the new <code>modus-themes</code> package.
Then, after a grace period of, say, 6 months, the old packages will be
deleted and only <code>modus-themes</code> will remain. This has been discussed
in Emacs <a href="https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=46964">bug#46964</a>.
I still have not had the time to study how those in-place substitutes
will be implemented, but rest assured that it will be done.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The <code>modus-themes</code> in emacs.git and, by extension, in elpa.git are
updated whenever I tag a new release. This happens every month or so.
The next version is <code>1.3.0</code>, which will be published some time in
mid-April.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Removal from MELPA</h2>
<p class="info"><strong>Update 2021-03-28:</strong> We got feedback from MELPA: the <code>modus-themes</code>
will stay there after all! The newer parts of the discussion start from
here: <a href="https://github.com/melpa/melpa/issues/7245#issuecomment-808810507">https://github.com/melpa/melpa/issues/7245#issuecomment-808810507</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>MELPA maintainers, who have become aware of the status of the themes
as described above, have asked me to delete the <code>modus-themes</code> package
from their archive (see issues
<a href="https://github.com/melpa/melpa/issues/7245">#7245</a> and
<a href="https://github.com/melpa/melpa/issues/7246">#7246</a>). The idea is
that too many package variants can be confusing to users.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>I will comply with the MELPA maintainers’ request to delete the
<code>modus-themes</code> package from their archive. This will be done with a
pull request against melpa.git either before the end of this week or
the beginning of the next.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Existing users should be able to switch to the package provided by GNU
ELPA. I honestly do not know whether the transition will be seamless
(e.g. if you have <code>(use-package modus-themes ...</code>) or whether it will
require manual intervention. My apologies for whatever inconvenience.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p>All of the above combined mean that there will no longer be a package
archive that contains a version of the themes corresponding to the
latest commit on modus-themes.git. To run the bleeding edge, you must
either use something like <code>quelpa</code> or <code>straight.el</code>, or manually clone
and maintain a local copy of
<a href="https://gitlab.com/protesilaos/modus-themes">modus-themes.git</a>.</p>
<p>This is all for now. Please <a href="https://protesilaos.com/contact/">contact
me</a> if you have any questions. I am
also posting this announcement on the Modus themes’ issue tracker, in
case you want to comment there: <a href="https://gitlab.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/-/issues/167">https://gitlab.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/-/issues/167</a>.</p>