UPDATE: Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the $_SERVER['HTTP_COOKIE'] variable is no longer being sent to the Akismet servers with each SPAM-check. It seems Matt is still ignoring the fact that anyone ever complained about this, as there’s no mention anywhere that it’s gone. Very disappointing… Haven’t we learned anything from the Sony rootkit crisis? I guess the answer is obviously ‘no’…
Ok, not really, it’s just inconvenient for me when they release new versions… 
I knew this was coming, and I actually spent several hours on Tuesday at the holy green logo’ed shrine to the coffee bean (read: Starbucks) trying to re-work my code so that it was actually an “Extension” plugin (ie: you have to have the base Akismet plugin installed, then install my version, which seemlessly extends the functionality).
Unfortunately, there’s one problem with this strategy… PHP doesn’t support function overloading. In other words, there’s no way (that I have found, at least, please correct me if I’m wrong) for their plugin to create the function akismet_conf() and then for my plugin (which is loaded afterwards) to create / delete / change it later. Now, this isn’t that big of a deal at first (as I learned), because I can have my plugin remove all the actions the default Akismet plugin created and then re-create the actions using my newly-named functions.
Well that works, until I need to change the way the plugin deletes things. See, Akismet just calls its delete() function, which is referenced in virtually everything else it does. So if I want to change the way things are deleted, I’d have to create my own version of delete(), and then create my own versions of every other function that calls delete() and replace the call with one to my newly created function. So in the end, I’ve only saved 1 function by “extending” Akismet, rather than replacing it.
So it’s back to the drawing board for me. I’ve got to run in to work tomorrow and get a few things ready for next week, but hopefully I’ll be able to get back to work Saturday and Sunday and get a new version of the Enhanced Akismet plugin released.
In the meantime, I’m still looking for feedback on the email notifications that seemed to be troublesome in the last version. Anyone tested this for me?
If you want to force people to install APD:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.rename-function.php
may work…..
Otherwise, you’re out of luck.
WTF? I’m insulted you would compare us to Sony. If you think so little of the service and the people behind it maybe you shouldn’t use it.
ANONY: Ohhh… How did that not come up in a Google for “php rename function”? It’s certainly not a viable option for mainstream use, but good to know none-the-less.
Matt: For what it’s worth, I love the service. I think it’s a great idea, and I’m thrilled someone with the time and resources to invest in it stepped up to the plate and created such a wonderful service for the blogosphere.
At the same time, I’m insulted that you would take the serious complaints / concerns of your obviously knowledgeable users so lightly. I didn’t intend to insult you personally. Indeed I have no doubt you’re a great guy (you’re certainly a brilliant one). I just think we need to work on our communication skills a little bit.
For me, as a consumer, it’s very important that a company be open and honest with me. If you screwed up, admit it. Everyone screws up from time-to-time, it’s only natural. It’s unfortunate that you happened to do so on my order (for example), but I’m certainly not going to fly off the handle because of one problem.
The same is true in your situation. I realize sending HTTP_COOKIE data wasn’t your intention. I also realize that you’re a good guy and (at least most likely) wouldn’t have done anything with that data. If you’d just reassured everyone (publicly) that you weren’t doing anything evil with that data, and announce (again, publicly) that it was going to be removed in the forthcoming 1.1 update, all would have been well. Instead, you quietly fix the issue, hoping to satisfy the small group of people who have made an issue about it and yet still remain golden in the opinion of all the other every day idiot users out there who don’t know what’s going on.
You may not like my analogy, but it sounds a lot like Sony to me… Please, accept my apologies if you were insulted, oh brilliant Wordpress god, for it was not intended. In the future, just keep this in mind, should a similar situation come up… and talk about it freely. It’ll make the whole thing seem a lot less “evil” to everyone.
Mellerboy standing up to big boy Matt. Good
Anyway, in my opinion, both of you are right in your own place. Just put yourselves in each other’s shoes and you’ll know it. Nothing to be offended about, I just find it amusing the way Meller explains things. And ofcourse not everyone takes it in a evil way, maybe Matt did coz Akismet is his baby.
I am expecting more to come… keep it coming Meller. You’re doing great (and so are you Matt)
I’m sure you’re right. I certainly didn’t mean to insult him or his product at all. I can understand being protective of something you’ve spent countless hours creating. My point still stands, though!
Full disclosure is always best in the long run… At least if you ask me. It’s like being honest up front or telling a lie that’ll buy you a little more time (not that he lied or anything, just a real-world example).