Last modified: 2014-06-28 19:12:52 UTC
Now that support for IE 5 has been dropped, why not remove the link to the printable version, and replace it with the javascript window.print() function (supported since Netscape 4 and IE 5 (beta2) ). In the past the arguments against removing printable were 1: IE5 doesn't support print stylesheets 2: When removed, people don't understand how to print So now that IE5 support is dropped, why not tackle problem 2 with a javascript link to print. The link can be hidden from people who disable Javascript, and the rest of the users don't have to ponder what "printable version" does.
See also my userscript: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:TheDJ/Print_dialog
Now available as a gadget on en.wp
News outlets often have a "print" link because their content is paginated (and contains ads). MediaWiki pages don't have the same issue(s). That said, it looks like the gadget you've developed contains additional features that might restore some value to the inclusion of the link in the sidebar.
*** Bug 56875 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
+1 on this. In fact, I think the link is of very dubious value (how many people really don't need to print?) but in any case, generating our own printable version is just a waste of everyone's time, and is bound to throw up quirks (not that I understand how we generate it, but anyway...).
*** Bug 63972 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Change 142822 had a related patch set uploaded by M4tx: Change link to Printable version to JS's print() https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/142822
