flatpak runtime end of life

[Jarm3r]

Today upon attempting a flatpak update, I got the following message:

Info: runtime org.kde.Platform branch 6.5 is end-of-life, with reason: We strongly recommend moving to the latest stable version of the Platform and SDK

Could this please be updated to the newer platform runtime?

[dail8859]

@zocker-160 Thoughts?

[zocker-160]

6.5 has been marked as EOL yesterday:
https://invent.kde.org/packaging/flatpak-kde-runtime/-/commit/fc23bc54ae22f5e17dbef556b37d842cfd7522d8

Not sure what the rationale behind this is, I will investigate.

[zocker-160]

alright so if I understood this correctly, the LTS versions of Qt 6.x are not open source, meaning KDE devs always EOL the oldest supported Qt version once a new one releases (6.7 released a few weeks ago, hence 6.5 is EOL now).

5.15 is an exception, where KDE devs are maintaining their own patchset until everything is ported to Qt 6.

Refs:
https://lists.qt-project.org/pipermail/development/2021-January/040798.html
https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/05/qt_lts_goes_commercial_only/
https://community.kde.org/Qt5PatchCollection

[dail8859]

@zocker-160

LTS versions of Qt 6.x are not open source

I personally hate this decision (and a few others) by Qt...but I'll not let that derail this issue :)

---

Ignoring 5.15 for the moment...what are the KDE expecting application developers to do? Switch to a newer runtime every 6 months (or year if you skip releases)?

Other than the blatant warning, is there any risk ignoring it and sticking with 6.5 anyways?

[zocker-160]

@dail8859 given that a new Qt 6.x version releases around every 10 - 12 month, it would indeed mean updating once a year.
That being said, I don't think KDE devs like that either nor really have a choice unless they also maintain a second LTS additionally to 5.15.

Other than the blatant warning, is there any risk ignoring it and sticking with 6.5 anyways?

It is the same risk as running that version on Windows (as you also don't get LTS versions there unless you pay) except that Windows users will never get notified about it 😆 .

[dail8859]

I don't think KDE devs like that either nor really have a choice unless they also maintain a second LTS additionally to 5.15.

Yeah I understand it comes back to Qt's "open source" model that KDE devs are dependent on.

It is the same risk as running that version on Windows

Yeah that's what I figured. As long as things won't break (e.g. the application won't run) for the flatpak then I think it is acceptable for now and will plan on moving to the next LTS version.

Though I guess LTS doesn't really gain this project anything 😆 other than giving 3rd party libraries time to make any needed SDK changes. I know at least 1 library that has issues with Qt6.6+

[Jarm3r]

my only thought as an end-user (and lover of this app!) is that the error message is confusing, and makes it seem like the app itself has something wrong with it. When in reality there's nothing wrong, but I don't think you yourself have any control over the message itself correct?

I've been on linux for years, and this is the first time I've ever seen this error. I had to search to figure out what it meant.

see what I mean? It's the call out of the specific apps at the bottom of the message that does it for me.

[dail8859]

Agreed it is very undesirable for the end user. Upgrading to Qt6.6+ is a definitely no-go currently due to 3rd party libraries having issues. Unless @zocker-160 has any magical insight, I think this is going to have to be something we live with for the time being. :(

[zocker-160]

As long as things won't break (e.g. the application won't run) for the flatpak

That risk is very low, I am also maintaining an (abandoned) Application as Flatpak that uses some very old Qt 5.1 and it still works just fine.

This is essentially a layer 8 problem of users feelings.

@Jarm3r

When in reality there's nothing wrong, but I don't think you yourself have any control over the message itself correct?

The message is defined in the KDE runtime here:
https://invent.kde.org/packaging/flatpak-kde-runtime/-/blob/qt6.5/flathub.json?ref_type=heads#L4

Unless @zocker-160 has any magical insight, I think this is going to have to be something we live with for the time being. :(

@dail8859 I know this is additional work for you, but do you have a scenario where I could try to replicate any issue you might know about with 6.6?

On the Flathub beta I did try 6.6 once and it "seemed" to be working, but I did not check any specific functionality.

[dail8859]

@zocker-160

Specifically itay-grudev/SingleApplication#190 (comment)

Starting multiple instances seem to have issues which the author is aware of. I haven't looked into it in depth myself or tried to replicate it, but the discussion definitely seems to indicate an identified issue.

[zocker-160]

Yep I can confirm with Qt 6.6 the SingleApplication does indeed not work and a secondary instance is launched instead.

[zocker-160]

For anybody wanting to update, I have moved the flatpak beta branch to Qt 6.6.

[dail8859]

@zocker-160 Appreciate all the help and testing!

@Jarm3r Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Unfortunately it will just have to be something we live with for the time being.