Revert "Drop support for Python 3.8"

This reverts commit 3d5b2f81fb.

It should not be in 10.0.x branch, since we do support python 3.8
in 10.0.

Signed-off-by: Michael Tokarev <mjt@tls.msk.ru>

configure

@@ -540,17 +540,17 @@ if test -n "$linux_arch" && ! test -d "$source_path/linux-headers/asm-$linux_arc
 fi
 
 check_py_version() {
-    # We require python >= 3.9.
+    # We require python >= 3.8.
     # NB: a True python conditional creates a non-zero return code (Failure)
-    "$1" -c 'import sys; sys.exit(sys.version_info < (3,9))'
+    "$1" -c 'import sys; sys.exit(sys.version_info < (3,8))'
 }
 
 first_python=
 if test -z "${PYTHON}"; then
     # A bare 'python' is traditionally python 2.x, but some distros
     # have it as python 3.x, so check in both places.
-    for binary in python3 python python3.13 python3.12 python3.11 \
-                          python3.10 python3.9 ; do
+    for binary in python3 python python3.12 python3.11 \
+                          python3.10 python3.9 python3.8; do
         if has "$binary"; then
             python=$(command -v "$binary")
             if check_py_version "$python"; then
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ then
     # If first_python is set, there was a binary somewhere even though
     # it was not suitable.  Use it for the error message.
     if test -n "$first_python"; then
-        error_exit "Cannot use '$first_python', Python >= 3.9 is required." \
+        error_exit "Cannot use '$first_python', Python >= 3.8 is required." \
             "Use --python=/path/to/python to specify a supported Python."
     else
         error_exit "Python not found. Use --python=/path/to/python"
@@ -941,11 +941,11 @@ then
 fi
 
 if ! check_py_version "$python"; then
-  error_exit "Cannot use '$python', Python >= 3.9 is required." \
+  error_exit "Cannot use '$python', Python >= 3.8 is required." \
              "Use --python=/path/to/python to specify a supported Python." \
              "Maybe try:" \
              "  openSUSE Leap 15.3+: zypper install python39" \
-             "  CentOS: dnf install python3.12"
+             "  CentOS 8: dnf install python38"
 fi
 
 # Resolve PATH

docs/about/build-platforms.rst

@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ Python runtime
   option of the ``configure`` script to point QEMU to a supported
   version of the Python runtime.
 
-  As of QEMU |version|, the minimum supported version of Python is 3.9.
+  As of QEMU |version|, the minimum supported version of Python is 3.8.
 
 Python build dependencies
   Some of QEMU's build dependencies are written in Python.  Usually these

python/Makefile

@@ -9,13 +9,13 @@ help:
 	@echo "make check-minreqs:"
 	@echo "    Run tests in the minreqs virtual environment."
 	@echo "    These tests use the oldest dependencies."
-	@echo "    Requires: Python 3.9"
-	@echo "    Hint (Fedora): 'sudo dnf install python3.9'"
+	@echo "    Requires: Python 3.8"
+	@echo "    Hint (Fedora): 'sudo dnf install python3.8'"
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "make check-tox:"
 	@echo "    Run tests against multiple python versions."
 	@echo "    These tests use the newest dependencies."
-	@echo "    Requires: Python 3.9 - 3.11, and tox."
+	@echo "    Requires: Python 3.8 - 3.11, and tox."
 	@echo "    Hint (Fedora): 'sudo dnf install python3-tox python3.11'"
 	@echo "    The variable QEMU_TOX_EXTRA_ARGS can be use to pass extra"
 	@echo "    arguments to tox".
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ PIP_INSTALL = pip install --disable-pip-version-check
 min-venv: $(QEMU_MINVENV_DIR) $(QEMU_MINVENV_DIR)/bin/activate
 $(QEMU_MINVENV_DIR) $(QEMU_MINVENV_DIR)/bin/activate: setup.cfg tests/minreqs.txt
 	@echo "VENV $(QEMU_MINVENV_DIR)"
-	@python3.9 -m venv $(QEMU_MINVENV_DIR)
+	@python3.8 -m venv $(QEMU_MINVENV_DIR)
 	@(								\
 		echo "ACTIVATE $(QEMU_MINVENV_DIR)";			\
 		. $(QEMU_MINVENV_DIR)/bin/activate;			\

python/setup.cfg

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ classifiers =
     Natural Language :: English
     Operating System :: OS Independent
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only
+    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ classifiers =
     Typing :: Typed
 
 [options]
-python_requires = >= 3.9
+python_requires = >= 3.8
 packages =
     qemu.qmp
     qemu.machine
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ exclude = __pycache__,
 
 [mypy]
 strict = True
-python_version = 3.9
+python_version = 3.8
 warn_unused_configs = True
 namespace_packages = True
 warn_unused_ignores = False
@@ -185,7 +186,7 @@ multi_line_output=3
 # of python available on your system to run this test.
 
 [tox:tox]
-envlist = py39, py310, py311, py312, py313
+envlist = py38, py39, py310, py311, py312, py313
 skip_missing_interpreters = true
 
 [testenv]

python/tests/minreqs.txt

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # This file lists the ***oldest possible dependencies*** needed to run
-# "make check" successfully under ***Python 3.9***. It is used primarily
+# "make check" successfully under ***Python 3.8***. It is used primarily
 # by GitLab CI to ensure that our stated minimum versions in setup.cfg
 # are truthful and regularly validated.
 #

scripts/qapi/mypy.ini

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 [mypy]
 strict = True
 disallow_untyped_calls = False
-python_version = 3.9
+python_version = 3.8

tests/docker/dockerfiles/python.docker

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ ENV PACKAGES \
     python3.11 \
     python3.12 \
     python3.13 \
+    python3.8 \
     python3.9
 
 RUN dnf install -y $PACKAGES