AW: [wp-hackers] Update of non GPL-Plugins (was Plugin licenses)

[Doug Stewart]

On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 9:23 AM, Glenn Ansley <glenn at glennansley.com> wrote:
> I don't think any such messages should be provided. Only hosting open source
> is a good decision because it encourages plugin developers to release their
> code if publicly they want to take advantage of the perks. If you're going
> to charge for a plugin or not release the code publicly, that's you're
> decision, but it's obviously not the model WordPress has decided to follow.
> Besides... there are other ways to update the user if you're the plugin
> developer. PodPress has been doing it long before 2.5 (not that anyone's
> seen an update in awhile)
>

This is short-sighted, IMNSHO.  In this situation, the plugin devs
will never be blamed by the end users; rather, WordPress itself will
be faulted for not taking it into account.

I've suggested multiple times, on-list and in Trac, that the API
server be set up to return an additional status code -- "NOT FOUND" or
somesuch -- and the Plugins page UI be adjusted to note that plugins
existing off-ranch are explicitly NOT being checked for updates.
Otherwise, the UI is confusing and misleading.  Folks will think their
plugins are being checked for updates when, in fact, they are not.

It's a very low cost proposition with a VERY high potential ROI, thus
I'm still scratching my head at the resistance to implementing it.


-- 
-Doug