I've implemented a new feature, which allows users to automatically fix
double redirects which are created when they move a page. It's live now on
Wikimedia projects.
On the page move form, a checkbox is shown, checked by default, labelled
"update any redirects which point to the original title". Jobs are
inserted into the job queue in order to perform the edits. The edits are
performed by a user called "Redirect fixer", or the equivalent localised
by [[MediaWiki:double-redirect-fixer]]. This user is created in the user
table if it doesn't already exist, so it has a valid user ID. Its edits do
not show up in Recent Changes.
Before each edit is performed, the redirect fixer will follow the chain of
redirects to find the current final destination. It will then edit the
page to point to that final destination. If there is a circular reference
or invalid redirect, no action is taken. If the page is no longer a double
redirect (say because the move was reverted), then no action is taken.
If the page has changed since the move was performed, the edit is not done.
The number of job queue threads has been increased.
This feature was inspired by a meeting with White Cat at Wikimania, seeing
the terrible conditions his bots are forced to work under, shoulder to
shoulder in 15 tiled command prompt windows, fixing double redirects all
day and all night, working their poor little fingers to the bone. It was
very sad.
Comments would be appreciated.
-- Tim Starling