Deprecate unused `WP_Media_List_Table::column_desc()`

[iandunn]

As far as I can tell, WP_Media_List_Table::column_desc() never gets called by anything in Core. It doesn't look like there's ever been a Description column in that table.

I think it was just accidentally added when the table was broken out into it's own file (list-table-media.php at the time) from default-list-tables.php in r15491. It might go back even further, but that's when I stopped digging :)

[JeffMatson]

It looks like nothing uses it, but it might be used by anyone who might be extending the class. I don't see any harm in keeping it in there for those purposes, but otherwise, it could be removed.

[antpb]

This ticket has had no movement in some years and it seems that only a handful of plugins are using WP_Media_List_Table: ​https://wpdirectory.net/search/01GE2BXQRQC39EN3RJ0MP3X7B2 and of those we were not able to find any using column_desc in a spot check.

It was decided in the recent media component meeting during a bug scrub of older tickets that we should tackle this in 6.2 to stop any future use of this function.

[costdev]

Version number updated and .0 added for consistency with other calls in Core.

[audrasjb]

Indeed, let's deprecate this unused method.
Self assigning for commit.

[audrasjb]

Adding needs-dev-note so we can mention this deprecation in a quick note in the Misc chanfges (or Media changes) dev note.

[audrasjb]

Ah, we need a deprecated @since mention, too.

https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/39710

[audrasjb]

Self assigning for commit.

[audrasjb]

In 55159:

Media: Deprecate unused method WP_Media_List_Table::column_desc().

This changeset formally deprecates the column_desc() method from WP_Media_List_Table, as it was never used anywhere in core.

Props iandunn, JeffMatson, antpb, costdev, audrasjb.
Fixes #39710.

Committed in https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/55159

[peterwilsoncc]

More frequently than not, WordPress maintains the functionality of a deprecated function for backward compatibility, see https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/49146#file1 as an example.

There are some exceptions when it's not possible but I don't think this is such a case.

I've reopened the ticket for consideration.

[mukesh27]

This ticket was discussed in the recent bug scrub.

This needs a follow-up patch to address Peter's feedback.

Props to @costdev

Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/39710

[costdev]

I have submitted ​PR 4018 to address @peterwilsoncc's feedback.

Adding for commit consideration.

[audrasjb]

In 55249:

Media: Maintain the functionnality of the deprecated WP_Media_List_Table::column_desc() method.

Follow-up to [55159].

Props peterwilsoncc, costdev, mukesh27.
Fixes #39710.

committed in https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/55249