remove support for Python 3.8, add 3.12 (#342)

* fix #341
* remove support for Python 3.8 and  add support for 3.12 (following NEP29(
* Update CHANGES

.github/workflows/ci.yaml

@@ -29,24 +29,24 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         os: ["ubuntu-latest", "macOS-latest", "windows-latest"]
-        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11"]
+        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
         # Only test lowest and highest version on the expensive/slow
         # macOS and windows runners (UPDATE when supported versions change):	
         exclude:
         - os: macOS-latest
           python-version: 3.10
         - os: macOS-latest
-          python-version: 3.9
+          python-version: 3.11
         - os: windows-latest
           python-version: 3.10
         - os: windows-latest
-          python-version: 3.9
+          python-version: 3.11
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
     # More info on options: https://github.com/conda-incubator/setup-miniconda
-    - uses: mamba-org/provision-with-micromamba@main
+    - uses: mamba-org/setup-micromamba@main
       with:
         environment-file: devtools/conda-envs/test_env.yaml
         environment-name: test

CHANGES

@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ The rules for this file:
 */*/2023 hl2500
 
   * 2.2.0
-
+
+Changes
+  - add support for Python 3.12, remove Python 3.8 support (issue #341, PR #304).
+
 Enhancements
   - Add a TI estimator using gaussian quadrature to calculate the free energy.
     (issue #302, PR #304)

setup.py

@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@
         "Operating System :: Microsoft :: Windows ",
         "Programming Language :: Python",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
-        "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
+        "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12",
         "Topic :: Scientific/Engineering",
         "Topic :: Scientific/Engineering :: Bio-Informatics",
         "Topic :: Scientific/Engineering :: Chemistry",
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
     license="BSD",
     long_description=open("README.rst").read(),
     long_description_content_type="text/x-rst",
-    python_requires=">=3.8",
+    python_requires=">=3.9",
     tests_require=["pytest", "alchemtest"],
     install_requires=[
         "numpy",