get_sidebar should be able to accept an array of names as parameter.

[gxxaxx]

get_sidebar uses load_template to do the work of template loading.
load_template will accept an array of template names for loading.
load_template will then load the first existing template from that array.

Seems like get_sidebar should also accept an array of names that can be searched in declining order.

This would allow a theme to specify a first choice, second choice, etc. for the sidebar.

Patch to general-template.php modify get_sidebar to accept array as parameter

The fact that load_template() accepts an array is not a good reason for changing get_sidebar().

Related: #18331

PS: http://core.trac.wordpress.org/wiki#HowtoSubmitPatches

I totally agree that just because load_template() accepts an array is not sufficient justification.

In a theme I am developing I ran ran into a situation where I needed the functionality.

I'm definitely not trolling the codex looking for things to change. This came about as one possible answer for a theme situation.

But, I see that other -- wider sweeping -- changes are afoot in #18331. Thanks for the info.

PS: I was using ​http://funcdoc.wordpress.com/2008/01/21/how-to-patch-the-wordpress-core/
I appreciate your more up-to-date link.

proper patch version of the file.