If the interface were to provide notification when and if the maintainer has linked a url under, say, a "discussion thread" variable, then it'll work out pretty much the same way as how comments are handled now. But this also means the maintainer has to know whether someone actually opened up a thread. In the end, both ways are KISS as one proposes a separate location for discussion-related content. I for one, have no problem whether comments remain or not. From a user-experience perspective, it is definitely worth it. Looking at it practically, since it's an almost-public database, comments serve more purposes than just information or peer-review. But when the informational posts escalate into a prolonged discussion, is where the problem comes in. Also, I suppose the notification for comments is currently used as a workaround for (the lack of) notification on updates for those not using a local front-end.