"Nick Jenkins" nickpj@gmail.com wrote in message news:NABBJGECPILFNLFEAPIKOEINIMAA.nickpj@gmail.com...
If MediaWiki doesn't fill your needs, and you can't patch it to do so, you're welcome to use something else; Tim and brion won't be offended.
[SNIP]
Basically there's a tension between the real-world ways in which people
want to use MediaWiki the software "product", and the
primary raison d'etre of MediaWiki as an open-to-everyone collaborative
platform.
The more interesting question is: If people can find a way of adding this
type of functionality to the default install (but
disabling it by default) so that it doesn't impact you, should it be
added?
On the plus side, it'd most likely lead to more deployments of the
software, and hence more people familiar with the syntax, and
more people familiar with wikis in general, and what people get used to at
work they tend to use at home too (with potential
positive impact). On the negative side, maybe it's seen as complicating
the software, and endorsing a feature that's opposed to the
fundamental aim of open knowledge.
Another thing to bear in mind is that if there are enough features wanted by 'business' or 'the real world' or whatever you want to call it, which the developers deliberately avoid implementing then the project may end up forking.
Whether this is a Good Thing or not, I guess depends on your persepective.
- Mark Clements (HappyDog)