diff --git a/wp-includes/author-template.php b/wp-includes/author-template.php
index 887b1cffbc..f2906f02e3 100644
--- a/wp-includes/author-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/author-template.php
@@ -1,41 +1,15 @@
 <?php
 
-function get_the_author($idmode = '') {
+function get_the_author($deprecated = '') {
 	global $authordata;
-
-	switch ($idmode) {
-		case 'display_name':
-			$id = $authordata->display_name;
-			break;
-		case 'nickname':
-			$id = $authordata->nickname;
-			break;
-		case 'login':
-			$id = $authordata->user_login;
-			break;
-		case 'firstname':
-			$id = $authordata->user_firstname;
-			break;
-		case 'lastname':
-			$id = $authordata->user_lastname;
-			break;
-		case 'namefl':
-			$id = $authordata->user_firstname.' '.$authordata->user_lastname;
-			break;
-		case 'namelf':
-			$id = $authordata->user_lastname.' '.$authordata->user_firstname;
-			break;
-		default:
-			$id = $authordata->display_name;
-	}
-
-	return apply_filters('the_author', $id);
+	return apply_filters('the_author', $authordata->display_name);
 }
 
-function the_author($idmode = '', $echo = true) {
-	if ( $echo )
-		echo get_the_author($idmode);
-	return get_the_author($idmode);
+// Using echo = false is deprecated.  Use get_the_author instead.
+function the_author($deprecated = '', $deprecated_echo = true) {
+	if ( $deprecated_echo )
+		echo get_the_author();
+	return get_the_author();
 }
 
 function get_the_author_description() {
@@ -162,10 +136,10 @@ function the_author_posts() {
 }
 
 /* the_author_posts_link() requires no get_, use get_author_posts_url() */
-function the_author_posts_link($idmode='') {
+function the_author_posts_link($deprecated = '') {
 	global $authordata;
 
-	echo '<a href="' . get_author_posts_url($authordata->ID, $authordata->user_nicename) . '" title="' . sprintf(__("Posts by %s"), wp_specialchars(the_author($idmode, false))) . '">' . the_author($idmode, false) . '</a>';
+	echo '<a href="' . get_author_posts_url($authordata->ID, $authordata->user_nicename) . '" title="' . sprintf(__("Posts by %s"), wp_specialchars(get_the_author())) . '">' . get_the_author() . '</a>';
 }
 
 function get_author_posts_url($author_id, $author_nicename = '') {
@@ -266,4 +240,4 @@ function wp_list_authors($args = '') {
 	}
 }
 
-?>
+?>
\ No newline at end of file