In [[todo/Option_linktext_for_pagestats_directive]] I wrote:

> It's unfortunate that map and pagestats have different meanings for
> the show parameter. I'm tempted to propose a patch that adds something
> like limit (by analogy with SQL) or max as the canonical name for the
> "number of things to match" parameter, at which point a non-numeric show
> could mean [what [[spalax]] proposed].

It isn't immediately obvious whether `show` should be used like
`\[[!map show=title]]` or like `\[[!inline show=10]]`. I can't think of
any better names for the "which property to display" parameter that don't
have the problem of being a synonym for show so you can't easily tell which
is which, and I think that suggests that it might be better to rename the
"number of items to display" parameter instead.

This would allow recycling the name `show` so that a non-numeric
value is interpreted analogous to `\[[!map show=title]]`,
for instance to solve [[todo/Option_linktext_for_pagestats_directive]].

If a committer (I think that just means Joey?) would review it, I'd be happy
to put together a patch that adds the chosen name to all the directives
that currently interpret `show` to mean "number of items", preferring the
new name but retaining compatibility for a numeric `show`.

Some possibilities (using inline as my example directive here):

* `\[[!inline limit=10]]` like SQL `select * from foo limit 10`
* `\[[!inline max-count=10]]` like `git log --max-count=10`
* `\[[!inline max=10]]`
* `\[[!inline n=10]]`, `\[[!inline num=10]]`, `\[[!inline number=10]]`
* `\[[!inline count=10]]`

Which of those do Joey/other contributors prefer?

Or if keeping `show=10` is preferred, what should be the conventional name
for functionality like `\[[!map show=title]]`?

> [[!template id=gitbranch branch=smcv/ready/limit
author="[[Simon McVittie|smcv]]"
browse=http://git.pseudorandom.co.uk/smcv/ikiwiki.git/shortlog/refs/heads/ready/limit]]
> [[!tag patch users/smcv/ready]]

I personally prefer `\[[!inline limit=10]]` so I have put that in a branch.
Agreement/objections/better ideas welcome. --[[smcv]]