Make testing on MacOS, Windows and Ubuntu 24.04 runners optional

.github/workflows/cross_platform_tests.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# This workflow will run the tests on a variety of operating systems and architectures.
+
+name: Run tests on low availability Github osted runners
+
+on:
+  # Optionally run only, until the availability of the required Github hosted 
+  # runners does not slow down CI.
+  workflow_call:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+   run_tests:
+    if: github.repository == 'GeospatialPython/pyshp'
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        python-version: [
+          "3.12",
+        ]
+        os: [
+          # "macos-12",
+          "ubuntu-24.04",
+          # "windows-2022",
+        ]
+
+    runs-on: matrix.os
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+    - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      with:
+        python-version: ${{ inputs.python_version }}
+
+    - name: Run tests
+      uses: ./.github/actions/test

.github/workflows/deploy.yml

@@ -13,25 +13,38 @@ on:
     types: [published]
 
 jobs:
-  deploy:
+  test:
 
+    # In general, tests should be run after building a distribution, to test that distribution.
+    # However as long as PyShp is a pure Python library, with pure Python deps (or no deps)
+    # then this would only test the packaging process, not so much the code as there are 
+    # no binaries.
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - name: Set up Python
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v2
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
       with:
         python-version: '3.x'
 
-    # In general tests should be run after building a distribution, to test that distribution.
-    # However as long as PyShp is a pure Python library, with pure Python deps (or no deps)
-    # then it's not crucial.
-
-    # Prevent deployment of releases that fail any hooks (e.g. linting) or that fail any tests.
     - name: Run tests and hooks
       uses: ./.github/workflows/run_tests_and_hooks.yml
 
+  deploy:
+    # Prevent deployment of releases that fail any hooks (e.g. linting) or that fail any tests.
+    needs: test
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - name: Set up Python
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      with:
+        python-version: '3.x'
+
+
+
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip

.github/workflows/run_tests_and_hooks.yml

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
     - uses: pre-commit/action@v3.0.1
 
-  test_in_slim_Python_containers:
+  run_tests_in_containers:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -44,33 +44,3 @@ jobs:
     - name: Run tests
       uses: ./.github/actions/test
 
-
-  test_on_MacOS_and_Windows:
-    if: github.repository == 'GeospatialPython/pyshp'
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        python-version: [
-          "3.12",
-        ]
-        os: [
-          # "macos-12",
-          "ubuntu-24.04",
-          "windows-2022",
-        ]
-        # include:
-        #   - os: "windows-latest"
-        #     python-version: "3.13"
-        #   - os: "macos-latest"
-        #     python-version: "3.13"
-
-    runs-on: matrix.os
-    steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-    - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
-      with:
-        python-version: ${{ inputs.python_version }}
-
-    - name: Run tests
-      uses: ./.github/actions/test