[wp-hackers] WP package with spam plugin

[Doug Stewart]

On 9/26/07, Alex Günsche <ag.ml2007 at zirona.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> before I explain, a little question: What would you do, if WordPress
> distributed a WordPress version including a plugin for, say,
> TextLinkAds? Would you say this is ok, or would you consider it spam?
>
> There is a German WordPress (WPD) community who translates WP to German
> and who power support forums. This is very nice, however nothing
> special.
>
> They also distribute the German WP version, which has everything German
> (even themes and early messages). Therefore their version is quite
> widespread among the German speaking WP community.
>
> Now WPD distributes a WordPress 2.3 package together with a plugin for
> the usage of LinkLift, a German link trade platform similar to
> TextLinkAds. The plugin is not activated by default, and one needs an
> account with LinkLift to use it, but pretty obviously, this is plain
> spam: Including a plugin in a core distribution suggests that this
> plugin is very important and useful, and even the inclusion itself is
> good for transporting the name of the company to a very relevant target
> audience.
>
> What WPD does is not illegal, anyway, many German users are rather upset
> about this advertising, especially as WPD makes money by including
> advertising into a product that they didn't create. (Btw, remember that
> Automattic doesn't make advertising on the wp.org forums, not even on
> wp.com.)
>
> Now some of the less savvy German WP users think that this is WordPress
> in general coming with advertising since 2.3, and some of the half savvy
> *and* paranoid even believe that there's a connection between the new
> update notification in WP 2.3 and the advertising in WPD's 2.3. This of
> course is very bad PR for WordPress.
>
> Asked about this plugin being in the WPD's WordPress package, the WPD
> team refuses to give any concrete answers (for the German speaking:
> http://forum.wordpress-deutschland.org/feedback-und-ankuendigungen/25428-offene-anfrage-wordpress-deutschland-4.html)
> But it is obvious that there is some sort of deal between WPD and
> LinkLift.
>
> Now I wonder: Do you guys agree that including a commercial plugin into
> a WordPress package is spam? If so, what could be done about it?
>
> Kind regards,
> Alex

Is the plugin GPL'd?

If Matt (who holds the WP trademark, I believe) felt that this was a
violation of the WP TM, I believe he could demand that they quit using
"WordPress" to advertise themselves and that they cease using
trademarked names and images.

IANALBIPOOTV, of course.


-- 
-Doug

http://literalbarrage.org/blog/