diff --git a/testament/azure.nim b/testament/azure.nim
index af65d6a1c407..aba10b296134 100644
--- a/testament/azure.nim
+++ b/testament/azure.nim
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #    Look at license.txt for more info.
 #    All rights reserved.
 
-import base64, json, httpclient, os, strutils, uri
+import std/[base64, json, httpclient, os, strutils, uri]
 import specs
 
 const
diff --git a/testament/categories.nim b/testament/categories.nim
index ee6177a20526..2e589591a918 100644
--- a/testament/categories.nim
+++ b/testament/categories.nim
@@ -12,9 +12,8 @@
 
 # included from testament.nim
 
-import important_packages
 import std/strformat
-from std/sequtils import filterIt
+import std/private/gitutils
 
 const
   specialCategories = [
@@ -223,12 +222,6 @@ proc testNimInAction(r: var TResults, cat: Category, options: string) =
   template test(filename: untyped) =
     testSpec r, makeTest(filename, options, cat)
 
-  template testJS(filename: untyped) =
-    testSpec r, makeTest(filename, options, cat), {targetJS}
-
-  template testCPP(filename: untyped) =
-    testSpec r, makeTest(filename, options, cat), {targetCpp}
-
   let tests = [
     "niminaction/Chapter1/various1",
     "niminaction/Chapter2/various2",
@@ -247,8 +240,7 @@ proc testNimInAction(r: var TResults, cat: Category, options: string) =
     "niminaction/Chapter6/WikipediaStats/parallel_counts",
     "niminaction/Chapter6/WikipediaStats/race_condition",
     "niminaction/Chapter6/WikipediaStats/sequential_counts",
-    "niminaction/Chapter6/WikipediaStats/unguarded_access",
-    "niminaction/Chapter8/sdl/sdl_test"
+    "niminaction/Chapter6/WikipediaStats/unguarded_access"
     ]
 
   when false:
@@ -292,10 +284,6 @@ proc testNimInAction(r: var TResults, cat: Category, options: string) =
   # Run the tests.
   for testfile in tests:
     test "tests/" & testfile & ".nim"
-  let jsFile = "tests/niminaction/Chapter8/canvas/canvas_test.nim"
-  testJS jsFile
-  let cppFile = "tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sfml/sfml_test.nim"
-  testCPP cppFile
 
 # ------------------------- manyloc -------------------------------------------
 
@@ -366,120 +354,15 @@ proc testStdlib(r: var TResults, pattern, options: string, cat: Category) =
       testObj.spec.action = actionCompile
     testSpec r, testObj
 
-# ----------------------------- nimble ----------------------------------------
-proc listPackagesAll(): seq[NimblePackage] =
-  var nimbleDir = getEnv("NIMBLE_DIR")
-  if nimbleDir.len == 0: nimbleDir = getHomeDir() / ".nimble"
-  let packageIndex = nimbleDir / "packages_official.json"
-  let packageList = parseFile(packageIndex)
-  proc findPackage(name: string): JsonNode =
-    for a in packageList:
-      if a["name"].str == name: return a
-  for pkg in important_packages.packages.items:
-    var pkg = pkg
-    if pkg.url.len == 0:
-      let pkg2 = findPackage(pkg.name)
-      if pkg2 == nil:
-        raise newException(ValueError, "Cannot find package '$#'." % pkg.name)
-      pkg.url = pkg2["url"].str
-    result.add pkg
-
-proc listPackages(packageFilter: string): seq[NimblePackage] =
-  let pkgs = listPackagesAll()
-  if packageFilter.len != 0:
-    # xxx document `packageFilter`, seems like a bad API,
-    # at least should be a regex; a substring match makes no sense.
-    result = pkgs.filterIt(packageFilter in it.name)
-  else:
-    if testamentData0.batchArg == "allowed_failures":
-      result = pkgs.filterIt(it.allowFailure)
-    elif testamentData0.testamentNumBatch == 0:
-      result = pkgs
-    else:
-      let pkgs2 = pkgs.filterIt(not it.allowFailure)
-      for i in 0..<pkgs2.len:
-        if i mod testamentData0.testamentNumBatch == testamentData0.testamentBatch:
-          result.add pkgs2[i]
-
-proc makeSupTest(test, options: string, cat: Category, debugInfo = ""): TTest =
-  result.cat = cat
-  result.name = test
-  result.options = options
-  result.debugInfo = debugInfo
-  result.startTime = epochTime()
-
-import std/private/gitutils
-
-proc testNimblePackages(r: var TResults; cat: Category; packageFilter: string) =
-  let nimbleExe = findExe("nimble")
-  doAssert nimbleExe != "", "Cannot run nimble tests: Nimble binary not found."
-  doAssert execCmd("$# update" % nimbleExe) == 0, "Cannot run nimble tests: Nimble update failed."
-  let packageFileTest = makeSupTest("PackageFileParsed", "", cat)
-  let packagesDir = "pkgstemp"
-  createDir(packagesDir)
-  var errors = 0
-  try:
-    let pkgs = listPackages(packageFilter)
-    for i, pkg in pkgs:
-      inc r.total
-      var test = makeSupTest(pkg.name, "", cat, "[$#/$#] " % [$i, $pkgs.len])
-      let buildPath = packagesDir / pkg.name
-      template tryCommand(cmd: string, workingDir2 = buildPath, reFailed = reInstallFailed, maxRetries = 1): string =
-        var outp: string
-        let ok = retryCall(maxRetry = maxRetries, backoffDuration = 10.0):
-          var status: int
-          (outp, status) = execCmdEx(cmd, workingDir = workingDir2)
-          status == QuitSuccess
-        if not ok:
-          if pkg.allowFailure:
-            inc r.passed
-            inc r.failedButAllowed
-          addResult(r, test, targetC, "", cmd & "\n" & outp, reFailed, allowFailure = pkg.allowFailure)
-          continue
-        outp
-
-      if not dirExists(buildPath):
-        discard tryCommand("git clone $# $#" % [pkg.url.quoteShell, buildPath.quoteShell], workingDir2 = ".", maxRetries = 3)
-        if not pkg.useHead:
-          discard tryCommand("git fetch --tags", maxRetries = 3)
-          let describeOutput = tryCommand("git describe --tags --abbrev=0")
-          discard tryCommand("git checkout $#" % [describeOutput.strip.quoteShell])
-        discard tryCommand("nimble install --depsOnly -y", maxRetries = 3)
-      discard tryCommand(pkg.cmd, reFailed = reBuildFailed)
-      inc r.passed
-      r.addResult(test, targetC, "", "", reSuccess, allowFailure = pkg.allowFailure)
-
-    errors = r.total - r.passed
-    if errors == 0:
-      r.addResult(packageFileTest, targetC, "", "", reSuccess)
-    else:
-      r.addResult(packageFileTest, targetC, "", "", reBuildFailed)
-
-  except JsonParsingError:
-    errors = 1
-    r.addResult(packageFileTest, targetC, "", "Invalid package file", reBuildFailed)
-    raise
-  except ValueError:
-    errors = 1
-    r.addResult(packageFileTest, targetC, "", "Unknown package", reBuildFailed)
-    raise # bug #18805
-  finally:
-    if errors == 0: removeDir(packagesDir)
-
 # ---------------- IC tests ---------------------------------------------
 
 proc icTests(r: var TResults; testsDir: string, cat: Category, options: string;
              isNavigatorTest: bool) =
   const
     tooltests = ["compiler/nim.nim"]
-    writeOnly = " --incremental:writeonly "
-    readOnly = " --incremental:readonly "
     incrementalOn = " --incremental:on -d:nimIcIntegrityChecks "
     navTestConfig = " --ic:on -d:nimIcNavigatorTests --hint:Conf:off --warnings:off "
 
-  template test(x: untyped) =
-    testSpecWithNimcache(r, makeRawTest(file, x & options, cat), nimcache)
-
   template editedTest(x: untyped) =
     var test = makeTest(file, x & options, cat)
     if isNavigatorTest:
@@ -695,8 +578,6 @@ proc processCategory(r: var TResults, cat: Category,
       compileExample(r, "examples/*.nim", options, cat)
       compileExample(r, "examples/gtk/*.nim", options, cat)
       compileExample(r, "examples/talk/*.nim", options, cat)
-    of "nimble-packages":
-      testNimblePackages(r, cat, options)
     of "niminaction":
       testNimInAction(r, cat, options)
     of "ic":
diff --git a/testament/important_packages.nim b/testament/important_packages.nim
deleted file mode 100644
index e037cc609c5d..000000000000
--- a/testament/important_packages.nim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,167 +0,0 @@
-##[
-## note 1
-`useHead` should ideally be used as the default but lots of packages (e.g. `chronos`)
-don't have release tags (or have really old ones compared to HEAD), making it
-impossible to test them reliably here.
-
-packages listed here should ideally have regularly updated release tags, so that:
-* we're testing recent versions of the package
-* the version that's tested is stable enough even if HEAD may occasionally break
-
-## note 2: D20210308T165435:here
-nimble packages should be testable as follows:
-git clone $url $dir && cd $dir
-NIMBLE_DIR=$TMP_NIMBLE_DIR XDG_CONFIG_HOME= nimble install --depsOnly -y
-NIMBLE_DIR=$TMP_NIMBLE_DIR XDG_CONFIG_HOME= nimble test
-
-if this fails (e.g. nimcrypto), it could be because a package lacks a `tests/nim.cfg` with `--path:..`,
-so the above commands would've worked by accident with `nimble install` but not with `nimble install --depsOnly`.
-When this is the case, a workaround is to test this package here by adding `--path:$srcDir` on the test `cmd`.
-]##
-
-type NimblePackage* = object
-  name*, cmd*, url*: string
-  useHead*: bool
-  allowFailure*: bool
-    ## When true, we still run the test but the test is allowed to fail.
-    ## This is useful for packages that currently fail but that we still want to
-    ## run in CI, e.g. so that we can monitor when they start working again and
-    ## are reminded about those failures without making CI fail for unrelated PRs.
-
-var packages*: seq[NimblePackage]
-
-proc pkg(name: string; cmd = "nimble test"; url = "", useHead = true, allowFailure = false) =
-  packages.add NimblePackage(name: name, cmd: cmd, url: url, useHead: useHead, allowFailure: allowFailure)
-
-pkg "alea", allowFailure = true
-pkg "argparse"
-pkg "arraymancer", "nim c tests/tests_cpu.nim", allowFailure = true
-pkg "ast_pattern_matching", "nim c -r --oldgensym:on tests/test1.nim", allowFailure = true
-pkg "asyncthreadpool"
-pkg "awk"
-pkg "bigints", url = "https://github.com/Araq/nim-bigints"
-pkg "binaryheap", "nim c -r binaryheap.nim"
-pkg "BipBuffer"
-pkg "blscurve", allowFailure = true # pending https://github.com/status-im/nim-blscurve/issues/39
-pkg "bncurve"
-pkg "brainfuck", "nim c -d:release -r tests/compile.nim"
-pkg "bump", "nim c --gc:arc --path:. -r tests/tbump.nim", "https://github.com/disruptek/bump"
-pkg "c2nim", "nim c testsuite/tester.nim"
-pkg "cascade"
-pkg "cello"
-pkg "chroma"
-pkg "chronicles", "nim c -o:chr -r chronicles.nim"
-pkg "chronos", "nim c -r -d:release tests/testall", allowFailure = true # pending https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/issues/17130
-pkg "cligen", "nim c --path:. -r cligen.nim"
-pkg "combparser", "nimble test --gc:orc"
-pkg "compactdict"
-pkg "comprehension", "nimble test", "https://github.com/alehander42/comprehension"
-pkg "criterion", allowFailure = true # pending https://github.com/disruptek/criterion/issues/3 (wrongly closed)
-pkg "datamancer"
-pkg "dashing", "nim c tests/functional.nim"
-pkg "delaunay"
-pkg "docopt"
-pkg "easygl", "nim c -o:egl -r src/easygl.nim", "https://github.com/jackmott/easygl"
-pkg "elvis"
-pkg "fidget", allowFailure = true
-pkg "fragments", "nim c -r fragments/dsl.nim"
-pkg "fusion"
-pkg "gara"
-pkg "glob"
-pkg "ggplotnim", "nim c -d:noCairo -r tests/tests.nim"
-pkg "gittyup", "nimble test", "https://github.com/disruptek/gittyup", allowFailure = true
-pkg "gnuplot", "nim c gnuplot.nim"
-# pkg "gram", "nim c -r --gc:arc --define:danger tests/test.nim", "https://github.com/disruptek/gram"
-  # pending https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/issues/16509
-pkg "hts", "nim c -o:htss src/hts.nim"
-pkg "httpauth"
-pkg "illwill", "nimble examples"
-pkg "inim"
-pkg "itertools", "nim doc src/itertools.nim"
-pkg "iterutils"
-pkg "jstin"
-pkg "karax", "nim c -r tests/tester.nim"
-pkg "kdtree", "nimble test -d:nimLegacyRandomInitRand", "https://github.com/jblindsay/kdtree"
-pkg "loopfusion"
-pkg "lockfreequeues"
-pkg "macroutils"
-pkg "manu"
-pkg "markdown"
-pkg "memo"
-pkg "msgpack4nim", "nim c -r tests/test_spec.nim"
-pkg "nake", "nim c nakefile.nim"
-pkg "neo", "nim c -d:blas=openblas tests/all.nim"
-pkg "nesm", "nimble tests", allowFailure = true # notice plural 'tests'
-pkg "netty"
-pkg "nico", allowFailure = true
-pkg "nicy", "nim c -r src/nicy.nim"
-pkg "nigui", "nim c -o:niguii -r src/nigui.nim"
-pkg "nimcrypto", "nim r --path:. tests/testall.nim" # `--path:.` workaround needed, see D20210308T165435
-pkg "NimData", "nim c -o:nimdataa src/nimdata.nim"
-pkg "nimes", "nim c src/nimes.nim"
-pkg "nimfp", "nim c -o:nfp -r src/fp.nim"
-pkg "nimgame2", "nim c -d:nimLegacyConvEnumEnum nimgame2/nimgame.nim"
-  # XXX Doesn't work with deprecated 'randomize', will create a PR.
-pkg "nimgen", "nim c -o:nimgenn -r src/nimgen/runcfg.nim"
-pkg "nimlsp"
-pkg "nimly", "nim c -r tests/test_readme_example.nim"
-pkg "nimongo", "nimble test_ci", allowFailure = true
-pkg "nimph", "nimble test", "https://github.com/disruptek/nimph", allowFailure = true
-pkg "nimpy", "nim c -r tests/nimfrompy.nim"
-pkg "nimquery"
-pkg "nimsl"
-pkg "nimsvg"
-pkg "nimterop", "nimble minitest"
-pkg "nimwc", "nim c nimwc.nim"
-pkg "nimx", "nim c --threads:on test/main.nim", allowFailure = true
-pkg "nitter", "nim c src/nitter.nim", "https://github.com/zedeus/nitter"
-pkg "norm", "nim c -r tests/sqlite/trows.nim"
-pkg "npeg", "nimble testarc"
-pkg "numericalnim", "nim c -r tests/test_integrate.nim"
-pkg "optionsutils"
-pkg "ormin", "nim c -o:orminn ormin.nim"
-pkg "parsetoml"
-pkg "patty"
-pkg "pixie"
-pkg "plotly", "nim c examples/all.nim"
-pkg "pnm"
-pkg "polypbren"
-pkg "prologue", "nimble tcompile"
-pkg "protobuf", "nim c -o:protobuff -r src/protobuf.nim"
-pkg "pylib"
-pkg "rbtree"
-pkg "react", "nimble example"
-pkg "regex", "nim c src/regex"
-pkg "result", "nim c -r result.nim"
-pkg "RollingHash", "nim c -r tests/test_cyclichash.nim"
-pkg "rosencrantz", "nim c -o:rsncntz -r rosencrantz.nim"
-pkg "sdl1", "nim c -r src/sdl.nim"
-pkg "sdl2_nim", "nim c -r sdl2/sdl.nim"
-pkg "sigv4", "nim c --gc:arc -r sigv4.nim", "https://github.com/disruptek/sigv4"
-pkg "sim"
-pkg "snip", "nimble test", "https://github.com/genotrance/snip"
-pkg "stint", "nim r stint.nim"
-pkg "strslice"
-pkg "strunicode", "nim c -r src/strunicode.nim"
-pkg "supersnappy"
-pkg "synthesis"
-pkg "telebot", "nim c -o:tbot -r src/telebot.nim"
-pkg "tempdir"
-pkg "templates"
-pkg "tensordsl", "nim c -r tests/tests.nim", "https://krux02@bitbucket.org/krux02/tensordslnim.git"
-pkg "terminaltables", "nim c src/terminaltables.nim"
-pkg "termstyle", "nim c -r termstyle.nim"
-pkg "timeit"
-pkg "timezones"
-pkg "tiny_sqlite"
-pkg "unicodedb", "nim c -d:release -r tests/tests.nim"
-pkg "unicodeplus", "nim c -d:release -r tests/tests.nim"
-pkg "unpack"
-pkg "weave", "nimble test_gc_arc", allowFailure = true
-pkg "websocket", "nim c websocket.nim"
-pkg "winim", "nim c winim.nim"
-pkg "with"
-pkg "ws", allowFailure = true
-pkg "yaml", "nim c -r test/tserialization.nim"
-pkg "zero_functional", "nim c -r -d:nimNoLentIterators test.nim"
-pkg "zippy"
diff --git a/testament/specs.nim b/testament/specs.nim
index 6fd0ab22dc9d..b1abb441c7d1 100644
--- a/testament/specs.nim
+++ b/testament/specs.nim
@@ -16,15 +16,18 @@ type TestamentData* = ref object
   testamentNumBatch*: int
   testamentBatch*: int
 
-let testamentData0* = TestamentData()
-
-var compilerPrefix* = findExe("nim")
+# global mutable state for funsies
+var
+  compilerPrefix* = findExe("nim")
+  skips*: seq[string]
 
-let isTravis* = existsEnv("TRAVIS")
-let isAppVeyor* = existsEnv("APPVEYOR")
-let isAzure* = existsEnv("TF_BUILD")
+let testamentData0* = TestamentData()
 
-var skips*: seq[string]
+# environment related predicates
+let
+  isTravis*   = existsEnv("TRAVIS")
+  isAppVeyor* = existsEnv("APPVEYOR")
+  isAzure*    = existsEnv("TF_BUILD")
 
 type
   TTestAction* = enum
@@ -88,8 +91,8 @@ type
     targets*: set[TTarget]
     matrix*: seq[string]
     nimout*: string
-    nimoutFull*: bool # whether nimout is all compiler output or a subset
-    parseErrors*: string            # when the spec definition is invalid, this is not empty.
+    nimoutFull*: bool    # whether nimout is all compiler output or a subset
+    parseErrors*: string # when the spec definition is invalid, this is not empty.
     unjoinable*: bool
     unbatchable*: bool
       # whether this test can be batchable via `NIM_TESTAMENT_BATCH`; only very
diff --git a/testament/testament.nim b/testament/testament.nim
index 105f00156ccf..1ed480b9307b 100644
--- a/testament/testament.nim
+++ b/testament/testament.nim
@@ -9,10 +9,11 @@
 
 ## This program verifies Nim against the testcases.
 
-import
-  strutils, pegs, os, osproc, streams, json, std/exitprocs,
-  backend, parseopt, specs, htmlgen, browsers, terminal,
-  algorithm, times, md5, azure, intsets, macros
+import std/[
+  strutils, pegs, os, osproc, streams, json, exitprocs, parseopt, browsers,
+  terminal, algorithm, times, md5, intsets, macros
+]
+import backend, azure, htmlgen, specs
 from std/sugar import dup
 import compiler/nodejs
 import lib/stdtest/testutils
@@ -707,11 +708,12 @@ proc main() =
     quit Usage
   var action = p.key.normalize
   p.next()
+  
   var r = initResults()
+
+  # now figure out what we're going to do
   case action
   of "all":
-    #processCategory(r, Category"megatest", p.cmdLineRest, testsDir, runJoinableTests = false)
-
     var myself = quoteShell(getAppFilename())
     if targetsStr.len > 0:
       myself &= " " & quoteShell("--targets:" & targetsStr)
diff --git a/testament/testament.nim.cfg b/testament/testament.nim.cfg
index c97284129ea7..b32e6bf99be0 100644
--- a/testament/testament.nim.cfg
+++ b/testament/testament.nim.cfg
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # don't move this file without updating the logic in `isNimRepoTests`
 
-path = "$nim" # For compiler/nodejs
+path = "$nim;." # For compiler/nodejs
 -d:ssl # For azure
 # my SSL doesn't have this feature and I don't care:
 -d:nimDisableCertificateValidation
diff --git a/tests/cpp/tasync_cpp.nim b/tests/cpp/tasync_cpp.nim
index 696274ec4763..74f6a36b4157 100644
--- a/tests/cpp/tasync_cpp.nim
+++ b/tests/cpp/tasync_cpp.nim
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ discard """
 
 # bug #3299
 
-import jester
+# import jester # xxx: why the hell are we doing crap like this?
 import asyncdispatch, asyncnet
 
 # bug #5081
diff --git a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/canvas/canvas.nim b/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/canvas/canvas.nim
deleted file mode 100644
index ae2765630dfd..000000000000
--- a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/canvas/canvas.nim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-discard """
-action: compile
-"""
-
-import dom
-
-type
-  CanvasRenderingContext* = ref object
-    fillStyle* {.importc.}: cstring
-    strokeStyle* {.importc.}: cstring
-
-{.push importcpp.}
-
-proc getContext*(canvasElement: Element,
-    contextType: cstring): CanvasRenderingContext
-
-proc fillRect*(context: CanvasRenderingContext, x, y, width, height: int)
-
-proc moveTo*(context: CanvasRenderingContext, x, y: int)
-
-proc lineTo*(context: CanvasRenderingContext, x, y: int)
-
-proc stroke*(context: CanvasRenderingContext)
diff --git a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/canvas/canvas_test.nim b/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/canvas/canvas_test.nim
deleted file mode 100644
index 42d222b7b75e..000000000000
--- a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/canvas/canvas_test.nim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-import canvas, dom
-
-proc onLoad() {.exportc.} =
-  var canvas = document.getElementById("canvas").EmbedElement
-  canvas.width = window.innerWidth
-  canvas.height = window.innerHeight
-  var ctx = canvas.getContext("2d")
-
-  ctx.fillStyle = "#1d4099"
-  ctx.fillRect(0, 0, window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight)
-
-  ctx.strokeStyle = "#ffffff"
-  let letterWidth = 100
-  let letterLeftPos = (window.innerWidth div 2) - (letterWidth div 2)
-  ctx.moveTo(letterLeftPos, 320)
-  ctx.lineTo(letterLeftPos, 110)
-  ctx.lineTo(letterLeftPos + letterWidth, 320)
-  ctx.lineTo(letterLeftPos + letterWidth, 110)
-  ctx.stroke()
diff --git a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sdl/sdl.nim b/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sdl/sdl.nim
deleted file mode 100644
index 212f7b02282b..000000000000
--- a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sdl/sdl.nim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-when defined(windows):
-  const libName* = "SDL2.dll"
-elif defined(linux) or defined(freebsd) or defined(netbsd):
-  const libName* = "libSDL2.so"
-elif defined(macosx):
-  const libName* = "libSDL2.dylib"
-elif defined(openbsd):
-  const libName* = "libSDL2.so.0.6"
-else:
-  {.error: "SDL library name not set for this platform".}
-
-type
-  SdlWindow = object
-  SdlWindowPtr* = ptr SdlWindow
-  SdlRenderer = object
-  SdlRendererPtr* = ptr SdlRenderer
-
-const INIT_VIDEO* = 0x00000020
-
-{.push dynlib: libName.}
-proc init*(flags: uint32): cint {.importc: "SDL_Init".}
-
-proc createWindowAndRenderer*(width, height: cint, window_flags: cuint,
-    window: var SdlWindowPtr, renderer: var SdlRendererPtr): cint
-    {.importc: "SDL_CreateWindowAndRenderer".}
-
-proc pollEvent*(event: pointer): cint {.importc: "SDL_PollEvent".}
-
-proc setDrawColor*(renderer: SdlRendererPtr, r, g, b, a: uint8): cint
-    {.importc: "SDL_SetRenderDrawColor", discardable.}
-
-proc present*(renderer: SdlRendererPtr) {.importc: "SDL_RenderPresent".}
-
-proc clear*(renderer: SdlRendererPtr) {.importc: "SDL_RenderClear".}
-
-proc drawLines*(renderer: SdlRendererPtr, points: ptr tuple[x, y: cint],
-    count: cint): cint {.importc: "SDL_RenderDrawLines", discardable.}
-{.pop.}
diff --git a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sdl/sdl_test.nim b/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sdl/sdl_test.nim
deleted file mode 100644
index 1c4d258fb37e..000000000000
--- a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sdl/sdl_test.nim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-discard """
-action: compile
-"""
-
-import os
-import sdl
-
-if sdl.init(INIT_VIDEO) == -1:
-  quit("Couldn't initialise SDL")
-
-var window: SdlWindowPtr
-var renderer: SdlRendererPtr
-if createWindowAndRenderer(640, 480, 0, window, renderer) == -1:
-  quit("Couldn't create a window or renderer")
-
-discard pollEvent(nil)
-renderer.setDrawColor 29, 64, 153, 255
-renderer.clear
-renderer.setDrawColor 255, 255, 255, 255
-
-when defined(c):
-  # just to ensure code from NimInAction still works, but
-  # the `else` branch would work as well in C mode
-  var points = [
-    (260'i32, 320'i32),
-    (260'i32, 110'i32),
-    (360'i32, 320'i32),
-    (360'i32, 110'i32)
-  ]
-else:
-  var points = [
-    (260.cint, 320.cint),
-    (260.cint, 110.cint),
-    (360.cint, 320.cint),
-    (360.cint, 110.cint)
-  ]
-
-renderer.drawLines(addr points[0], points.len.cint)
-
-renderer.present
-sleep(5000)
diff --git a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sfml/sfml.nim b/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sfml/sfml.nim
deleted file mode 100644
index fea85fcd4f58..000000000000
--- a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sfml/sfml.nim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
-{.passL: "-lsfml-graphics -lsfml-system -lsfml-window".}
-
-type
-  VideoMode* {.importcpp: "sf::VideoMode".} = object
-  RenderWindowObj {.importcpp: "sf::RenderWindow".} = object
-  RenderWindow* = ptr RenderWindowObj
-  Color* {.importcpp: "sf::Color".} = object
-  Event* {.importcpp: "sf::Event".} = object
-
-{.push cdecl, header: "<SFML/Graphics.hpp>".}
-
-proc videoMode*(modeWidth, modeHeight: cuint, modeBitsPerPixel: cuint = 32): VideoMode
-    {.importcpp: "sf::VideoMode(@)", constructor.}
-
-proc newRenderWindow*(mode: VideoMode, title: cstring): RenderWindow
-    {.importcpp: "new sf::RenderWindow(@)", constructor.}
-
-proc pollEvent*(window: RenderWindow, event: var Event): bool
-    {.importcpp: "#.pollEvent(@)".}
-
-proc newColor*(red, green, blue, alpha: uint8): Color
-    {.importcpp: "sf::Color(@)", constructor.}
-
-proc clear*(window: RenderWindow, color: Color) {.importcpp: "#.clear(@)".}
-
-proc display*(window: RenderWindow) {.importcpp: "#.display()".}
diff --git a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sfml/sfml_test.nim b/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sfml/sfml_test.nim
deleted file mode 100644
index e71060cb43c8..000000000000
--- a/tests/niminaction/Chapter8/sfml/sfml_test.nim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-discard """
-action: compile
-disabled: "windows"
-"""
-
-import sfml, os
-var window = newRenderWindow(videoMode(800, 600), "SFML works!")
-
-var event: Event
-discard window.pollEvent(event)
-window.clear(newColor(29, 64, 153, 255))
-window.display()
-
-sleep(1000)