[[[links]]] are internal. Though they update the backlinks.

[links] are external. They send pingbacks to the external sites.

Simply the difference between both link formats is not only syntax, but also the semantics.

Let's break this design apart, for fun. We have several things to achieve (though to be honest, I don't use either backlinks, nor pingbacks, but let's assume they are useful):

• Updating backlinks on internal pages.
• Sending pingbacks to external sites.
• Creating a link out of some text I type

The parser can figure out, trivially, that [category:page] is on the same site, and that [http://somesite.example.com/category:page] is on a different site. Therefore, Wikidot can trivially update backlinks in the first case, and pingbacks in the second case.

The difference in syntax is not needed. One syntax can handle both semantics. You can use two syntaxes but that's just forcing the user to do the compiler's work. "We're too [insert unkind adjective here] to parse this intelligently, so you have to tell us what to do."

It's a bug, not a feature.

Yes backlinks are VERY useful. Ask community :-) (or Hartnell)¹

I would suggest to just always use the [[[link | text]]] syntax, because it's more powerful².

If link starts with protocol:/ or / this is external link (send pingback), otherwise it's internal link (update backlinks). With | it's clear what's the link and what's the text. Also with no "|" it allows to create nice internal links, (like [[[some topic]]], meaning [[[some-topic | some topic]]] which is a very very nice feature).

Yes they are useful and historically were used in Ward's very first wiki as the CategoryCategory system. You must have it.

But have a look at this http://community.wikidot.com/bugs:19

I fully support Gabry's idea on ListPages by backlinks.

> support the old [link text] format as deprecated

The [/pagename/more-path linkname] format was only introduced a year ago to support internal links like page-name/edit/true.

If the [link text] format generally becomes deprecated, we'll need another supported syntax for internal links that include …/more-path

[[[page/edit/true | Edit]]] is my proposition

Find a way to make it work without the six extra keystrokes:

• open-open-open-pagename-space-pipe-space-pagetext-close-close-close
• open-pagename-space-pagetext-close

You are not necessarily right:

• [[[Albert Einstein]]]
• [albert-einstein Albert Einstein]

With auto-numbering, the notion of inserting the page unix name as default link text becomes broken anyhow. It would often be more useful to use the page title as the default link text. Giving us:

• [albert-einstein]

I don't use anything on here to make money. =P

backlinks are links back to your site.

I am afraid you're wrong, backlinks are NOT Linkbacks, they are internal to your site.
However, some wikidot competitors manage external or hot referrers
To be put on the wishlist ?