diff -r -u geeklog-1.3.11/public_html/docs/plugin.html geeklog-patched/public_html/docs/plugin.html
--- geeklog-1.3.11/public_html/docs/plugin.html	Fri Dec 31 10:03:28 2004
+++ geeklog-patched/public_html/docs/plugin.html	Sat Jan 15 01:47:55 2005
@@ -384,6 +384,10 @@
         <td valign="top" class="code">This function should return the actual new entries to be listed in the What's New block (as an array) or a string to be displayed in case there are no new entries.</td>
 
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td valign="top" class="codeheader">plugin_getnewcommentsinfo_&lt;plugin name&gt;</td>
+        <td valign="top" class="code">If a plugin supports comments and defines this function then its new comments can be reported in the What&rsquo;s New block. Each comment is associated with some item defined by the plugin; those items are identified by a unique value stored in the <code>sid</code> column of the comments table.<br> <code>sid</code> values from the comments table are passed to this function, which should return a two-element array consisting of the plugin item&rsquo;s title and the URL for the page showing the item&rsquo;s comments; the function should return <code>false</code> if the item should not be displayed (e.g., the user does not have permission to see it).</td>
+    </tr>
   </table>
 
 
diff -r -u geeklog-1.3.11/public_html/lib-common.php geeklog-patched/public_html/lib-common.php
--- geeklog-1.3.11/public_html/lib-common.php	Fri Dec 31 10:03:30 2004
+++ geeklog-patched/public_html/lib-common.php	Sat Jan 15 01:47:55 2005
@@ -4636,100 +4636,105 @@
         }
     }
 
+    $whatsnew_comment_plugs = array();
+    if( $_CONF['hidenewplugins'] == 0 )
+    {
+        $whatsnew_comment_plugs = PLG_supportingWhatsNewComments();
+    }
+
+    // Always show article and poll comments
+    $whatsnew_comment_plugs[] = 'article';
+    $whatsnew_comment_plugs[] = 'poll';
+
     if( $_CONF['hidenewcomments'] == 0 )
     {
         // Go get the newest comments
         $retval .= '<b>' . $LANG01[83] . '</b> <small>' . $LANG01[85] . '</small><br>';
 
-        $stwhere = '';
-
-        if( !empty( $_USER['uid'] ))
-        {
-            $stwhere .= "({$_TABLES['stories']}.owner_id IS NOT NULL AND {$_TABLES['stories']}.perm_owner IS NOT NULL) OR ";
-            $stwhere .= "({$_TABLES['stories']}.group_id IS NOT NULL AND {$_TABLES['stories']}.perm_group IS NOT NULL) OR ";
-            $stwhere .= "({$_TABLES['stories']}.perm_members IS NOT NULL)";
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            $stwhere .= "({$_TABLES['stories']}.perm_anon IS NOT NULL)";
-        }
-
-        $powhere = '';
-
-        if( !empty( $_USER['uid'] ))
-        {
-            $powhere .= "({$_TABLES['pollquestions']}.owner_id IS NOT NULL AND {$_TABLES['pollquestions']}.perm_owner IS NOT NULL) OR ";
-            $powhere .= "({$_TABLES['pollquestions']}.group_id IS NOT NULL AND {$_TABLES['pollquestions']}.perm_group IS NOT NULL) OR ";
-            $powhere .= "({$_TABLES['pollquestions']}.perm_members IS NOT NULL)";
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            $powhere .= "({$_TABLES['pollquestions']}.perm_anon IS NOT NULL)";
-        }
-
-        $sql = "SELECT DISTINCT count(*) AS dups, type, question, {$_TABLES['stories']}.title, {$_TABLES['stories']}.sid, qid, max({$_TABLES['comments']}.date) as lastdate FROM {$_TABLES['comments']} LEFT JOIN {$_TABLES['stories']} ON (({$_TABLES['stories']}.sid = {$_TABLES['comments']}.sid)" . COM_getPermSQL( 'AND', 0, 2, $_TABLES['stories'] ) . " AND ({$_TABLES['stories']}.draft_flag = 0)" . $topicsql . ") LEFT JOIN {$_TABLES['pollquestions']} ON ((qid = {$_TABLES['comments']}.sid)" . COM_getPermSQL( 'AND', 0, 2, $_TABLES['pollquestions'] ) . ") WHERE ({$_TABLES['comments']}.date >= (DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL {$_CONF['newcommentsinterval']} SECOND))) AND ((({$stwhere})) OR (({$powhere}))) GROUP BY {$_TABLES['comments']}.sid ORDER BY 7 DESC LIMIT 15";
+        $sql = "SELECT DISTINCT COUNT(*) AS dups, sid, type, MAX(date) as lastdate " .
+               "FROM {$_TABLES['comments']} " .
+               "WHERE date >= DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL {$_CONF['newcommentsinterval']} SECOND) " .
+               "AND type in ( '" . implode("','", $whatsnew_comment_plugs) . "' ) " .
+               "GROUP BY sid " .
+               "ORDER BY lastdate DESC";
 
         $result = DB_query( $sql );
 
         $nrows = DB_numRows( $result );
 
-        if( $nrows > 0 )
+        $newcomments = array();
+
+        for( $x = 1; $x <= $nrows && count($newcomments) < 15; $x++ )
         {
-            $newcomments = array();
+            $A = DB_fetchArray( $result );
 
-            for( $x = 1; $x <= $nrows; $x++ )
+            switch( $A['type'] )
             {
-                $A = DB_fetchArray( $result );
-
-                if(( $A['type'] == 'article' ) || empty( $A['type'] ))
-                {
-                    $itemlen = strlen( $A['title'] );
-                    $titletouse = stripslashes( $A['title'] );
-                    $urlstart = '<a href="' . COM_buildUrl( $_CONF['site_url']
-                        . '/article.php?story=' . $A['sid'] ) . '#comments' . '"';
-                }
-                else if( $A['type'] == 'poll' )
-                {
-                    $itemlen = strlen( $A['question'] );
-                    $titletouse = $A['question'];
-                    $urlstart = '<a href="' . $_CONF['site_url'] . '/pollbooth.php?qid=' . $A['qid'] . '&amp;aid=-1#comments"';
-                }
-
-                if( $itemlen > 20 )
-                {
-                    $urlstart .= ' title="' . htmlspecialchars( $titletouse ) . '">';
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    $urlstart .= '>';
-                }
-
-                // Trim the length if over 20 characters
-                if( $itemlen > 20 )
-                {
-                    $titletouse = substr( $titletouse, 0, 17 );
-                    $acomment = str_replace( '$', '&#36;', $titletouse ) . '...';
-                    $acomment = str_replace( ' ', '&nbsp;', $acomment );
-
-                    if( $A['dups'] > 1 )
-                    {
-                        $acomment .= ' [+' . $A['dups'] . ']';
+                case 'article':
+                    $titletouse = DB_getItem($_TABLES['stories'], 'title', "sid = '" . $A['sid'] . "' AND draft_flag = 0 " .
+                                             $topicsql .  COM_getPermSQL('AND', 0, 2));
+                    if ( ! empty($titletouse)) {
+                        $titletouse = stripslashes($titletouse);
+                        $rawurl = $_CONF['site_url'] .  '/article.php?story=' . $A['sid'];
+                        $show_item = true;
+                    } else {
+                        $show_item=false;
+                    }
+                    break;
+                case 'poll':
+                    $titletouse = DB_getItem($_TABLES['pollquestions'], 'question', "qid = '" . $A['sid'] . "'" .
+                                             COM_getPermSQL('AND', 0, 2));
+                    if ( ! empty($titletouse)) {
+                        $rawurl = $_CONF['site_url'] . '/pollbooth.php?qid=' . $A['sid'] . '&aid=-1';
+                        $show_item = true;
+                    } else {
+                        $show_item=false;
                     }
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    $acomment = str_replace( '$', '&#36;', $titletouse );
-                    $acomment = str_replace( ' ', '&nbsp;', $acomment );
-
-                    if( $A['dups'] > 1 )
-                    {
-                        $acomment .= ' [+' . $A['dups'] . ']';
+                    break;
+                default:
+                    $title_url = PLG_getWhatsNewCommentsInfo($A['type'], $A['sid']);
+                    if (is_array($title_url)) {
+                        list ($titletouse, $rawurl) = $title_url;
+                        $show_item = true;
+                    } else {
+                        $show_item = false;
                     }
-                }
+                    break;
+            }
+
+            // If the item should not be shown (user doesn't have permission, etc.)
+            // then skip to the next one.
+            if ( ! $show_item) { continue; }
+
+            $urlstart = '<a href="' . COM_buildUrl(htmlspecialchars($rawurl)) . '#comments"';
+            if( strlen($titletouse) > 20 )
+            {
+                $urlstart .= ' title="' . htmlspecialchars( $titletouse ) . '">';
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                $urlstart .= '>';
+            }
+
+            // Trim the length if over 20 characters
+            if( strlen($titletouse) > 20 )
+            {
+                $titletouse = htmlspecialchars( substr( $titletouse, 0, 17 ) );
+                $titletouse .= '&hellip;';
+            }
+            $acomment = str_replace( '$', '&#36;', $titletouse );
+            $acomment = str_replace( ' ', '&nbsp;', $acomment );
 
-                $newcomments[] = $urlstart . $acomment . '</a>';
+            if( $A['dups'] > 1 )
+            {
+                $acomment .= ' [+' . $A['dups'] . ']';
             }
 
+            $newcomments[] = $urlstart . $acomment . '</a>';
+        }
+
+        if( count($newcomments) > 0 )
+        {
             $retval .= COM_makeList( $newcomments, 'list-new-comments' );
         }
         else
diff -r -u geeklog-1.3.11/system/lib-plugins.php geeklog-patched/system/lib-plugins.php
--- geeklog-1.3.11/system/lib-plugins.php	Fri Dec 31 10:02:22 2004
+++ geeklog-patched/system/lib-plugins.php	Sat Jan 15 01:47:55 2005
@@ -1213,6 +1213,52 @@
 }
 
 /**
+* Prepare a list of all plugins that support the What's New block's comment section.
+* A plugin supports What's New comments if it supports comments, What's New and has
+* a 'getnewcommentsinfo' function.
+*
+* @return   array   array of plugin names (can be empty)
+*
+*/
+function PLG_supportingWhatsNewComments ()
+{
+    global $_TABLES;
+
+    $plugins = array ();
+
+    $result = DB_query ("SELECT pi_name FROM {$_TABLES['plugins']} WHERE pi_enabled = 1");
+    $nrows = DB_numRows ($result);
+    for ($i = 0; $i < $nrows; $i++) {
+        $A = DB_fetchArray ($result);
+        $fn_head = 'plugin_whatsnewsupported_' . $A['pi_name'];
+        if (function_exists ($fn_head)) {
+            if (is_array ( $fn_head() )) {
+                $fn_getnewcommentsinfo = 'plugin_getnewcommentsinfo_' . $A['pi_name'];
+                if (PLG_supportsComments($A['pi_name']) && function_exists($fn_getnewcommentsinfo)) {
+                  $plugins[] = $A['pi_name'];
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return $plugins;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get the title and URL of an object which can have comments associated with it.
+ *
+ * @param   $type the plugin that owns the object
+ * @param   $id   the object's unique identifier
+ *
+ * @return     array   A two-item string array containing the title of the item and its raw URL.
+ */
+function PLG_getWhatsNewCommentsInfo($type, $id)
+{
+    $args[1] = $id;
+    return PLG_callFunctionForOnePlugin('plugin_getnewcommentsinfo_' . $type, $args);
+}
+
+/**
 * Allows plugins and Core GL Components to filter out spam.
 * The SPAMX Plugin is now part of the Geeklog Distribution
 * This plugin API will call the main function in the SPAMX plugin