Plugin Compatibility page for WordPress 2.9

[sirzooro]

In the past we had special codex page, where everyone could find plugins compatible with given WP version (e.g. with ​WP 2.8. Starting from WP 2.9 we have new feature - Compatibility widget in plugin repository, and similar feature in plugin installer. I also found that codex page dedicated for plugins compatible with WP 2.9 was removed (​link).

In general this change is good. Unfortunately it creates also a gap - now users do not have a list of plugins which are compatible with WP 2.9. I got some traffic from such 2.8 page, so I think users uses it as an alternative for plugin search - just to find plugins with interesting names, which may be useful for them. Plugin search does not allow for this - you have to know some keywords first. Additionally, plugin search does not allow to search for plugins compatible with 2.9 only - with few plugins added to repository every day, users ends with long list of plugins to check.

Therefore I suggest to create such plugin list page in codex for 2.9 too. We can also think of adding filtering to plugin search, in order to search for plugins compatible for given version only.

Could you add your comments regarding my proposition?

The chance a plugin breaks between releases is minimal, These lists always only had a small selection of the plugins which were compatible (Or those which were not compatible).

I do not see a need for such a small potentially biased list, the repo tells users visiting the page if the plugin is no longer compatible, and upon a core upgrade, they're also alerted to if a plugin has been set as compatible/not compatible i believe..

Sorry, thought this was about adding the compatibility box.

Therefore I suggest to create such plugin list page in codex for 2.9 too. We can also think of adding filtering to plugin search, in order to search for plugins compatible for given version only.

I would go with the plugin search filtering. A big question though: what do you do with the many plugins that have "undecided" status?

It was specifically discussed on the docs listing to remove historical plugin compatibility pages (for various reasons). The older versions (of WordPress) are not specifically supported or maintained, so it doesn't make a great deal of sense to continue to hold lists of "compatible" plugins, especially where such lists quickly become obsolete, and/or require a lot of maintainer involvement.

Suggest closing this one as wontfix, or re-carving it into something else concrete that doesn't involve a big list.

Closing as wontfix for now, as there has got to be a better way. When somebody thinks of it, then we'll do that instead. Big lists that don't get maintained are pointless.