I have to correct myself about “no one knows what v2 should look like”:
To summarise:
v1 will not (and can not) break backwards compatibility. Both the much asked votes and the past reality show that. I think we all agree or at least accept that.
v2 has kind of a plan. Which one of is being worked on by our core dev (PHP version). I think given our resources, that plan is already ambitious.
Now, in that post I also explain why v2 is actually unreasonable:
we are not able to maintain more than one version at a time.
Let me be more straight: we are not able to really properly “maintain” a single release nor test our plugins prior to the releases. As others have mentioned “the recent 1.4.0 debacle” kind of shows that errors happen, and when they happen, we barely have enough hands on desk to fix them. Not to speak that with a even small base of invested testers, and plugin/theme devs preparing for releases by testing RCs, all those issues would have been avoided.
So, my opinion stands that
A) it does not matter how many voices will say “do these rather major changes”. It will not get done and if, then it will be a debacle. For so many reasons as there are Lins of code in CP.
B) at the same time, you are free to do whatever you want. Push a PR with the suggested ideas. Let it review and see what core dev’s will feedback to it. James has created a “CP Next” Git repo a good while ago for this exact purpose. Not a single PR has been pushed to it:
The work, even if it does not get immediately merged, will not be lost. It will be there, and if then it gets to the point of using it, it will be used!
To summarise our path so far, we have started (but never put to code) Relational Database in CP.
We have started (but never finished) jQuery Updates.
I start with those 2 because that is where I was directly involved.
The same is valid for Translations, Plugin and Theme Dir, TinyMCE, ClassicCommerce (and a re-refork thereof), ClassicSeo. Many of these are actual real vital parts of most sites.
We do have a pretty much finalised documentation site, that however also stalled, because all contributions stopped, and I can’t write all documentation on my own.
We did manage to get some great updates into the last release, inclusive new features.
So I honestly do not understand why now actually start another couple major projects, before we do not finish the vital parts.
The vital parts are at least ClassicPress security, ClassicCommerce maintenance and security, and probably Plugins reviews (over 20 pending devs and 15 plugins waiting since long time, some might be rejected, i do not know, what I know is that some have been complaining about their stuff not being reviewed)
Thus, IMO before we think - as a community and in terms of “voted/planned action” - about removing things that some folks might actually use (just like last debacle update, things we removed/changed had been and are still used) and then also write up new plugins to replace what we removed, we would have to invest that time into the vital parts.
It is the same type of work. Lots of research, coding, writing things up, yada yada - nothing different than moving XMLRPC to a plugin, deep down. And it actually bears fruits in the sense of that it will pull out a bit of that knife we have in our side.
I really respect and appreciate the enthusiasm brought every couple months by new or old users. Yet, I do have to ask, why focusing that enthusiasm towards long discussions that we probably deep down know will not lead anywhere?
Why not invest that time in the things that actually need or can to be done and that we love to do? If we can code, if we can strip a “bloated” CMS, we can also maintain a plugin or review a plugin or translate a string or write up a doc.
But I do not see involvement in that. And I don’t think this is because “intimidation” happens.
Sorry to say that, it is just what I observe, in most cases, not all, of course.
That said, if you want to work on removal of lets say XMLRPC or wp_links or anything else, just do it. Really, no one will stop you and it might actually even be used (sooner or later).
If you however want to do things that have a more immediate effect, the projects above are in dire need of this enthusiasm and volunteerism.
I hope this does not come down wrongly. I am agreeing that staying put is frustrating, yet it’s kind of what it is at the moment - and that’s why, if I don’t want to stay put, I will invest that time into my own projects - or try to contribute in the vital parts we lack.
Documentation, now a new testing infrastructure of “user” testing, and a couple minor features is where I saw I can actually contribute relatively effectively without entangling myself into a huge project of which I see no immediate application. That time (of such bigger project without clear end) I see better invested in my own projects.