Demand to disable plugins in order to create a network doesn't make sense

[mark-k]

1. have some plugins active on a stand alone WP
2. add define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true); to wp-config.php
3. go to "tools" >> "Network Setup" and you get a "Warning: Please deactivate your plugins before enabling the Network feature."
4. you have to disable the plugins in order to continue the process

And I have to ask why? This doesn't make sense for the following reasons

1. Why plugins and not themes? any "bad" code that can be in a plugin can also be in a theme.

2. If the plugins provide essential functionality, then my site will stop behaving as expected. This basically will put the site in maintenance mode, so why not to do it automatically in the code to be able to get faster in and out of this mode?

3. Did it ever happened that a plugin ruined a network install?

At the least this should be treated as a warning and not as an error, i.e. the text get displayed but the user can continue with the process if he decides to ignore the warning.

The reason for the block is that some plugins function differently in a network than they do in a single site. The same does not apply to themes.

Two plugin examples are WP Super Cache & W3 Total Cache which both need to be active on all sites in a network if they are active at all.

Replying to wpmuguru:

The reason for the block is that some plugins function differently in a network than they do in a single site.

Then. It is the responsability of the plugin to alert the user to make relevant adjustments. Maybe some option needs to be changed as well.....

In any case, if this is the best practice then core should enforce it instead of passing the responsability to the user