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Pet Peeve – Akismet Configuration Link Location

By Jeffro on March 22, 2011

akismet configurationSomething that has frustrated me for a long time is trying to figure out where the Akismet Configuration link is. My brain and logical way of thinking always points me to the Settings top level menu only to browse around each area to figure out where it’s at. For some strange reason, the Akismet configuration link is located within the Plugins top level menu. This makes no sense to me. That menu is used to view the plugins page, add plugins, edit plugins but not specifically configure any plugins, except Akismet. It’s with this pet peeve that I request the Akismet Configuration link be moved to within the Settings menu. I don’t think Akismet needs its own top level menu.

If you think the configuration link needs to be moved, let me know where it should go. If you don’t think it should be moved, I want to know why you think it’s a good idea to leave it where it’s at.

Should The Akismet Configuration Link Be Moved?

  • Yes (91%, 94 Votes)
  • No (9%, 9 Votes)

Total Voters: 103

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Posted in | Tagged , , | 19 Responses

19 responses to “Pet Peeve – Akismet Configuration Link Location”

  1. Ipstenu
    Ipstenu
    March 22, 2011 at 6:36 PM | |

    While a LOT of people would go ‘AUUUGH! MIssing!’, I think it would be better under settings.

  2. Jeffro
    Jeffro
    March 22, 2011 at 6:38 PM | |

    @Ipstenu – Yes, people would then feel the same way I do because it changed positions but I think in the long term, it wouldn’t cause unnecessary aggravation because it’s not in the place where common sense dictates it would be.

  3. Simon Fairbairn
    Simon Fairbairn
    March 22, 2011 at 7:03 PM | |

    Can’t tell you how many times I’ve been caught out by this. I’d love to see it moved to Settings. Despite configuring dozens of WP sites, I still automatically go there to look for it.

  4. Harsh Agrawal
    Harsh Agrawal
    March 22, 2011 at 7:34 PM | |

    Best position would be under settings… Or they should make this plugin available under Jetpack and config should be from Jetpack settings…

  5. donnacha of WordSkill
    donnacha of WordSkill
    March 22, 2011 at 7:36 PM | |

    Some sort of standardization would be welcome

    For instance, EVERY entry in the plugins list should include a Settings link that takes you directly to that plugins configuration page, it is a major UI fail that we have to go searching for this stuff.

  6. Jeffro
    Jeffro
    March 22, 2011 at 7:40 PM | |

    @donnacha of WordSkill – I agree. I’ve written about this subject before and in fact, there are ways built into WordPress where a Configure or Settings link can be added as a link to plugins on the main Plugins page. Very few plugin authors are doing this technique though and I’m still having to search for configuration pages. Not to mention, some plugin authors think they are so awesome, they deserve to add a top level menu item.

  7. rami
    rami
    March 22, 2011 at 7:57 PM | |

    settings!

  8. Mark McWilliams
    Mark McWilliams
    March 22, 2011 at 8:31 PM | |

    While you only setup Akismet once for any particular site, you always expect it to fall under Settings (like many others have also said) but no, right there under Plugins is where you’ll find it hiding! ;)

    Are they looking to move it into Jetpack in the near future, who knows; I’ve not read anything like that? — Settings > Akismet and that’ll do me (and everyone else!) :P

  9. Chip Bennett
    Chip Bennett
    March 22, 2011 at 10:48 PM | |

    From the Codex, regarding menu placement:

    It is rare that a plugin would require the creation of a top-level menu. If the plugin introduces an entirely new concept or feature to WordPress, and needs many screens to do it, then that plugin may warrant a new top-level menu. Adding a top-level menu should only be considered if you really need multiple, related screens to make WordPress do something it was not originally designed to accomplish. Examples of new top-level menus might include job management or conference management.

    I would prefer if Automattic would lead by example here – likewise with JetPack’s menu placement.

  10. Paul Hastings
    Paul Hastings
    March 23, 2011 at 12:22 AM | |

    I’ve wondered about that myself too. It would make sense to place it either underneath “Tools” or “Settings” (probably the latter), but definitely not “Plugins”.

  11. BG!
    BG!
    March 23, 2011 at 4:25 AM | |

    I prefer the option to provide a new Top-Level menu item called “Anti-Spam” or “Security” or something like that. Akismet settings could be shoved in there, and so could other similar stuff such as WP-Ban and Simple TB Validation.

  12. john
    john
    March 23, 2011 at 5:46 AM | |

    And for the love of God, please rename “Akismet Configuration” to just “Akismet” so it doesn’t take 2 lines when it is selected.

  13. Simon
    Simon
    March 23, 2011 at 6:08 AM | |

    move it to the settings menu without a doubt

  14. Chip Bennett
    Chip Bennett
    March 23, 2011 at 8:48 AM | |

    I totally quoted the wrong section of that Codex page. Here’s the relevant text, that immediately follows what I quoted above:

    If the creation of a top-level menu is not necessary, decide under what top-level menu to place your sub-level menu item. As a point of reference, most plugins add sub-level menu items underneath existing WordPress top-level menus. For example, the Backup plugin adds a sub-level menu option to the Tools top-level menu. Please note with the taxonomy registration, WordPress automatically creates sub-level menus under the applicable top-level menu to manage those features.

    Use this guide of the WordPress top-level menus to determine the correct location for your sub-level menu item:

    Dashboard
    Information central for your site and include the Updates option for updating WordPress core, plugins, and themes.
    Posts
    Displays tools for writing posts (time oriented content).
    Media
    Uploading and managing your pictures, videos, and audio.
    Links
    Manage references to other blogs and sites of interest.
    Pages
    Displays tools for writing your static content called pages.
    Comments
    Controlling and regulation reader to responses to posts.
    Appearance
    Displays controls for manipulation of theme/style files, sidebars, etc.
    Plugins
    Displays controls dealing with plugin management, not configuration options for a plugin itself.
    Users
    Displays controls for user management.
    Tools
    Manage the export, import, and even backup of blog data.
    Settings
    Displays plugin options that only administrators should view (also see Creating Settings Pages).

    Note what it says about the Plugins menu, specifically:

    Plugins
    Displays controls dealing with plugin management, not configuration options for a plugin itself.

    I don’t think Akismet has anything to do with “Plugin management”.

  15. Alicia
    Alicia
    March 23, 2011 at 9:38 AM | |

    I think all plugin settings should be under plugin. Everything gets so jumbled into settings. At times it gets really difficult to find the settings you want.

  16. Ipstenu
    Ipstenu
    March 23, 2011 at 10:09 AM | |

    Yeah, I suspect Akismet’s placement is legacy to BEFORE they came up with that. I mean, how old is it anyway?

  17. Gary Miller
    Gary Miller
    March 23, 2011 at 4:07 PM | |

    I agree with the move to Settings!

  18. tourpro
    tourpro
    March 23, 2011 at 6:37 PM | |

    The place where the Akismet setting is located has been the same since the beginning.

    Sure, it’s kind of an odd place, but given Akismet’s wondrous powers, I think it deserves to be kept in it’s traditional spot.

  19. Jeffro
    Jeffro
    March 25, 2011 at 5:52 AM | |

    Glad to see the poll results reflect that I haven’t fallen off my rocker hitting my head on the corner of a desk :)