diff --git a/docs/.meteor/versions b/docs/.meteor/versions
index 811099bd65..86ce428ee5 100644
--- a/docs/.meteor/versions
+++ b/docs/.meteor/versions
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ json@1.0.0
 less@1.0.8
 livedata@1.0.9
 logging@1.0.3
+markdown@1.0.1
 meteor-platform@1.1.0
 meteor@1.1.0
 minifiers@1.1.0
diff --git a/docs/client/docs.js b/docs/client/docs.js
index 1a512a24ac..307c645c9a 100644
--- a/docs/client/docs.js
+++ b/docs/client/docs.js
@@ -394,14 +394,10 @@ var toc = [
 
   "Packages", [ [
     "accounts-ui",
-    "amplify",
     "appcache",
     "audit-argument-checks",
-    "backbone",
-    "bootstrap",
     "browser-policy",
     "coffeescript",
-    "d3",
     "fastclick",
     "force-ssl",
     "jquery",
diff --git a/docs/client/packages.html b/docs/client/packages.html
index 71ed5b363b..d79071ccf1 100644
--- a/docs/client/packages.html
+++ b/docs/client/packages.html
@@ -19,14 +19,10 @@ and removed with:
 Meteor Development Group maintains the following packages:
 
 {{> pkg_accounts_ui}}
-{{> pkg_amplify}}
 {{> pkg_appcache}}
 {{> pkg_audit_argument_checks}}
-{{> pkg_backbone}}
-{{> pkg_bootstrap}}
 {{> pkg_browser_policy}}
 {{> pkg_coffeescript}}
-{{> pkg_d3}}
 {{> pkg_fastclick}}
 {{> pkg_force_ssl}}
 {{> pkg_jquery}}
diff --git a/docs/client/packages/amplify.html b/docs/client/packages/amplify.html
deleted file mode 100644
index 9e6e414c7c..0000000000
--- a/docs/client/packages/amplify.html
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-<template name="pkg_amplify">
-{{#markdown}}
-
-## `amplify`
-
-[Amplify](http://amplifyjs.com/) provides a simple cross-browser API for HTML5 local storage, an
-in-browser communication channel for loosely coupling application
-components, and several useful utility functions.
-
-Amplify defines a global namespace `amplify` on the client only. It does
-not run on the server.
-
-{{/markdown}}
-</template>
diff --git a/docs/client/packages/backbone.html b/docs/client/packages/backbone.html
deleted file mode 100644
index 52397a2808..0000000000
--- a/docs/client/packages/backbone.html
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-<template name="pkg_backbone">
-{{#markdown}}
-## `backbone`
-
-[Backbone](http://documentcloud.github.com/backbone/) is a popular client-side MVC framework for managing complex
-data in the browser. In addition to the MVC and DOM-binding
-functionality, it also provides an API for HTML5 pushState and
-client-side URL routing.
-
-{{/markdown}}
-</template>
diff --git a/docs/client/packages/bootstrap.html b/docs/client/packages/bootstrap.html
deleted file mode 100644
index 1d813fdbdb..0000000000
--- a/docs/client/packages/bootstrap.html
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-<template name="pkg_bootstrap">
-{{#markdown}}
-## `bootstrap`
-
-[Twitter's Bootstrap](http://twitter.github.com/bootstrap/) package is a front-end toolkit for faster, more
-beautiful web development.  Bootstrap provides simple and flexible HTML,
-CSS, and JavaScript for popular user interface components and
-interactions including typography, forms, buttons, tables, grids, and
-navigation.
-
-
-{{/markdown}}
-</template>
diff --git a/docs/client/packages/d3.html b/docs/client/packages/d3.html
deleted file mode 100644
index ca999a697d..0000000000
--- a/docs/client/packages/d3.html
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-<template name="pkg_d3">
-{{#markdown}}
-
-## `d3`
-
-[D3.js](http://d3js.org/) is a JavaScript library for manipulating
-documents based on data. D3 helps you bring data to life using HTML, SVG
-and CSS. D3's emphasis on web standards gives you the full capabilities
-of modern browsers without tying yourself to a proprietary framework,
-combining powerful visualization components and a data-driven approach
-to DOM manipulation.
-
-The `d3` package adds the D3 library to the client JavaScript
-bundle. It has no effect on the server.
-
-{{/markdown}}
-</template>
diff --git a/packages/deprecated/README b/packages/deprecated/README
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..92ec8f49b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/deprecated/README
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+These packages are no longer actively maintained by MDG.  Seek
+community alternatives instead.
+
+Note that these packages still exist in atmosphere, and you can still
+build a package that depends on one of them by specifying an explicit
+package version.
diff --git a/packages/amplify/.gitignore b/packages/deprecated/amplify/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/amplify/.gitignore
rename to packages/deprecated/amplify/.gitignore
diff --git a/packages/amplify/amplify.js b/packages/deprecated/amplify/amplify.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/amplify/amplify.js
rename to packages/deprecated/amplify/amplify.js
diff --git a/packages/amplify/package.js b/packages/deprecated/amplify/package.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/amplify/package.js
rename to packages/deprecated/amplify/package.js
diff --git a/packages/backbone/.gitignore b/packages/deprecated/backbone/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/backbone/.gitignore
rename to packages/deprecated/backbone/.gitignore
diff --git a/packages/backbone/backbone.js b/packages/deprecated/backbone/backbone.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/backbone/backbone.js
rename to packages/deprecated/backbone/backbone.js
diff --git a/packages/backbone/package.js b/packages/deprecated/backbone/package.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/backbone/package.js
rename to packages/deprecated/backbone/package.js
diff --git a/packages/bootstrap/.gitignore b/packages/deprecated/bootstrap/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/bootstrap/.gitignore
rename to packages/deprecated/bootstrap/.gitignore
diff --git a/packages/bootstrap/css/bootstrap-override.css b/packages/deprecated/bootstrap/css/bootstrap-override.css
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/bootstrap/css/bootstrap-override.css
rename to packages/deprecated/bootstrap/css/bootstrap-override.css
diff --git a/packages/bootstrap/css/bootstrap-responsive.css b/packages/deprecated/bootstrap/css/bootstrap-responsive.css
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/bootstrap/css/bootstrap-responsive.css
rename to packages/deprecated/bootstrap/css/bootstrap-responsive.css
diff --git a/packages/bootstrap/css/bootstrap.css b/packages/deprecated/bootstrap/css/bootstrap.css
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/bootstrap/css/bootstrap.css
rename to packages/deprecated/bootstrap/css/bootstrap.css
diff --git a/packages/bootstrap/img/glyphicons-halflings-white.png b/packages/deprecated/bootstrap/img/glyphicons-halflings-white.png
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/bootstrap/img/glyphicons-halflings-white.png
rename to packages/deprecated/bootstrap/img/glyphicons-halflings-white.png
diff --git a/packages/bootstrap/img/glyphicons-halflings.png b/packages/deprecated/bootstrap/img/glyphicons-halflings.png
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/bootstrap/img/glyphicons-halflings.png
rename to packages/deprecated/bootstrap/img/glyphicons-halflings.png
diff --git a/packages/bootstrap/js/bootstrap.js b/packages/deprecated/bootstrap/js/bootstrap.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/bootstrap/js/bootstrap.js
rename to packages/deprecated/bootstrap/js/bootstrap.js
diff --git a/packages/bootstrap/package.js b/packages/deprecated/bootstrap/package.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/bootstrap/package.js
rename to packages/deprecated/bootstrap/package.js
diff --git a/packages/d3/.gitignore b/packages/deprecated/d3/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/d3/.gitignore
rename to packages/deprecated/d3/.gitignore
diff --git a/packages/d3/d3.v3.js b/packages/deprecated/d3/d3.v3.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/d3/d3.v3.js
rename to packages/deprecated/d3/d3.v3.js
diff --git a/packages/d3/package.js b/packages/deprecated/d3/package.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/d3/package.js
rename to packages/deprecated/d3/package.js
diff --git a/packages/markdown/.gitignore b/packages/markdown/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..677a6fc263
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/markdown/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.build*
diff --git a/packages/showdown/license.txt b/packages/markdown/license.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/showdown/license.txt
rename to packages/markdown/license.txt
diff --git a/packages/markdown/package.js b/packages/markdown/package.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..037e5df0d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/markdown/package.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// Source: https://github.com/coreyti/showdown
+
+Package.describe({
+  summary: "Markdown-to-HTML processor",
+  version: "1.0.1"
+});
+
+Package.on_use(function (api) {
+  api.add_files("showdown.js");
+  api.export('Showdown');
+
+  api.use("templating", "client", {weak: true});
+  api.add_files('template-integration.js', 'client');
+});
+
+Package.on_test(function (api) {
+  api.use("blaze", "client");
+});
diff --git a/packages/showdown/showdown.js b/packages/markdown/showdown.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/showdown/showdown.js
rename to packages/markdown/showdown.js
diff --git a/packages/showdown/template-integration.js b/packages/markdown/template-integration.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/showdown/template-integration.js
rename to packages/markdown/template-integration.js
diff --git a/packages/showdown/package.js b/packages/showdown/package.js
index da96fed532..e89b0e2e80 100644
--- a/packages/showdown/package.js
+++ b/packages/showdown/package.js
@@ -1,20 +1,8 @@
-// Source: https://github.com/coreyti/showdown
-
-// XXX rename to 'markdown' and credit showdown some other way?
-
 Package.describe({
-  summary: "Markdown-to-HTML processor",
-  version: "1.0.1"
+  summary: "Moved to the 'markdown' package",
+  version: '1.0.1'
 });
 
 Package.on_use(function (api) {
-  api.add_files("showdown.js");
-  api.export('Showdown');
-
-  api.use("templating", "client", {weak: true});
-  api.add_files('template-integration.js', 'client');
-});
-
-Package.on_test(function (api) {
-  api.use("blaze", "client");
+  api.imply("markdown");
 });