Extension:PureWikiDeletion

This is the Pure Wiki Deletion extension.

MediaWiki extensions manual

PureWikiDeletion Release status: unstable
Implementation	Hook , Parser function
Description	Implements pure wiki deletion by causing blank pages to be redlinked, creating #ifblank and #ifnotblank parser functions, and creating Special:RandomExcludeBlank, among other things.
Author(s)	Tisanetalk
Latest version	1.0.3
MediaWiki	1.16beta2 and earlier only (1.16beta3 and newer, including latest stable, not supported).
PHP	5
License	Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0, GPL
Download	Download extension Git [?]: Download Git master browse repository (GitHub) commit history repository contributors (GitHub) code review
Hooks used ArticleSaveComplete LinkBegin LoadExtensionSchemaUpdates ArticleSave ArticleDeleteComplete ArticleUndelete GetPreferences ParserFirstCallInit LanguageGetMagic AlternateEdit OutputPageParserOutput
Translate the PureWikiDeletion extension if it is available at translatewiki.net

When installed:

• A link to a blank page will show up as a red link.
• When a user follows a link to a blank page, the page will behave the same way that deleted pages do now, except there will be an additional message, reading:

• Users will be directed to a random non-blank page when Special:RandomExcludeBlank is used.
• An #ifblank parser function can be used to detect the blank page's existence.
• Blanked pages have noindex and nofollow attributes.

This can be used to implement a policy of "pure wiki deletion," in which pages are blanked if they contain nothing but unverifiable content, patent nonsense, content that is outside project scope, etc. Content removed in this manner remains accessible to non-sysops via the page history. Such a policy enhances transparency and user empowerment by allowing any user to easily review the content removal decision to see whether it was appropriate, and to revert if it was not. Wiki owners will likely regard deletion, rather than blanking, as appropriate for pages containing content, such as copyright violations, that the owner is legally required to remove from any viewing by non-sysops.

There are two parser functions, #ifblank and #ifnotblank. Their syntax is as follows:

{{#ifblank: BlankPage|true|false}} returns true.
{{#ifnotblank: BlankPage|true|false}} returns false.

Add this line to LocalSettings.php:

require_once( "$IP/extensions/PureWikiDeletion/PureWikiDeletion.php"  );

Edit MediaWiki:Sidebar. There should be a line pertaining to the random page. Delete that line and replace it with:

** Special:RandomExcludeBlank|Random page

Go to Special:PopulateBlankedPagesTable. It will automatically populate your blanked pages table with any blanked pages that may exist on your wiki.

You can change the style of broken, blank and known links. By default, broken links are a cherry red that is a bit brighter than the shade of red we are accustomed to seeing in broken links. These parameters should be placed in LocalSettings.php:

$wgPureWikiDeletionBlankLinkStyle="color: red";

By default, anyone can blank or unblank pages. You can limit this to logged-in users:

$wgPureWikiDeletionLoginRequiredToBlank=true;
$wgPureWikiDeletionLoginRequiredToUnblank=true;

Note that blankings/unblankings by non-logged-in users will not appear in the log until bug 14735 is fixed.

See Extension talk:PureWikiDeletion.

Since this extension no longer works, an alternative is to give everyone power to delete, view deleted history entries, view deleted revisions, and undelete, by putting the following into LocalSettings.php :

$wgGroupPermissions['*']['delete']            = true;
$wgGroupPermissions['*']['deletedhistory']    = true;
$wgGroupPermissions['*']['deletedtext']       = true;
$wgGroupPermissions['*']['undelete']          = true;
$wgGroupPermissions['*']['browsearchive']     = true;

• Bug 3843 — Fixed by this extension
• w:Wikipedia:Pure wiki deletion system
• m:Pure wiki deletion system (proposal)
• Extension:MassBlank — Similar to Extension:Nuke, but mass blanks pages rather than mass deleting them