Group Options by sections

[alecuf]

Enhancement: new "section" column to wp_options table
The new column will be used to organize options better. It may serve as a namespace for options. Each plugin will get its section. This way it will be easier to clean the wp_options table from unused options, easier to call all the options of a plugin/theme. For now developers use hacks like naming all the options with a "namespace_" at the begining, or saving all the options in one big option cell. Transients will go to "transient" section, etc.
It will be easier to make this compatible with older versions of WP.

[alecuf]

It will be easy, not easier, to make this compatible with older versions of WP.

[MikeHansenMe]

This makes sense however I do not think we have to add a column to the db. We could introduce a few new functions to automatically prefix the option name and create the same effect. I will work up an example.

[swissspidy]

I don't think adding another column to the database is going to happen.

Having an option prefix for plugins is probably easier, it just needs to work with the length limit though (the option_name field is currently VARCHAR(191)).