Last modified: 2011-03-13 18:06:08 UTC
Proposed is to change the program structure and database table newtalk so that user_talk pages are treated as every other page. The user_talk pages are currently treated differently and with other database fields than other watch-listed non-user_talk pages (second table '''newtalk''', different program module UserTalk.php). It would be more convenient to have them in the normal table '''watchlist''': - for enotif (see http://bugzilla.wikipedia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=454 ) wl_notificationtimestamp could be used (instead of userid() as a flag) - minor edits can or cannot be suppressed to trigger notification (as it is the case for enotif of other pages).
Releasing or changing the special treatment of user_talk pages would cause other changes related to watch-listed pages, especially feature 454 (enotif of changes to pages and user_talk pages), but would probably make the program and database structure easier.
User talk pages *are* special cased, inherently, as that is their purpose.
I again propose for next releases: * drop the table newtalk and the mechanism around, but * treat user-talk pages as any other page, and * add automatically a watchlist entry for a user_talk:X page ehen user X opens an account. Thus, any user_talk:X page is nothing else then an automatically added watched page for user X in the table watchlist.
This issue is now finally solved with the new Enotif version 2.00 for CVS http://bugzilla.wikipedia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=454 scheduled for publication on 30.11.2004 . The table user_newtalk is finally dropped: it is simply no longer needed; all references to that table in the code have been deleted. All user_newtalk actions are handled transparently via the watchlist table by using entries in that table. The user interface (i.e. message "You have new messages") and behaviour is unchanged (100% unchanged). The code is much cleaner and understandable. Changes in UserTalkUpdate in conformity with new database wrapper calls and with Enotif switches and options.
