According to this discussion at w:WP:VPT and phab:T8455, String functions were never enabled. Any objection if I delete this section? For the benefit of users coming here from various sister projects, we could replace it with a bullet list of links, for example, starting with:
Given User:The Earwig's response at WP:VPT, I won't delete this section. However, I may add a caveat near the top for the benefit of visitors from other Wikimedia projects, and a bullet list of links, as I suggested. I wasted a lot of time trying to figure out what was wrong, with nary a hint from this page.
Definitely don't simply remove the documentation of these functions; they are used on third-party wikis. A good solution here would instead be something like Extension:Variables, where a visually-obvious notice gives a summary of the WMF view of the functionality, as well as a quick rundown (or a link to a list) of alternatives.
Since Wikipedia is not the only MediaWiki in the world .. no, you cant't just delete?
