[wp-hackers] Less than Core, More than Plugins/Themes: Proposing Optional Modules.

[Mike Schinkel]

Hi Ozh:

> I have probably misunderstood or overlooked something, 
> but I don't get how this is different from plugins...

The concept is that the community would develop ONE version of something as an Optional Module, not potentiall tens of similar competing ones. And they would be more emphasis on infrastructure and API than end-user functionality.  They would actually be more similar to core than to plugins. Having Optional Modules would allow the community to pursue standardizing APIs and functionality that the community would otherwise not be willing to include in core.

It creates a middle ground between plugins and core. 

The community could even agree to elevate some plugins to optional module status assuming the plugin is quality enough and meets the needs of enough people (and assuming the plugin author agrees.)

You could also think of optional modules being similar to the 10+ Drupal modules that Acquia selected to bundle with Acquia Drupal albeit with a WordPress-ish spin on the idea.

-Mike Schinkel
http://mikeschinkel.com/

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ozh" <ozh at planetozh.com>
To: wp-hackers at lists.automattic.com
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2009 4:51:43 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: [wp-hackers] Less than Core, More than Plugins/Themes: Proposing  Optional Modules.

I have probably misunderstood or overlooked something, but I don't get
how this is different from plugins...

On Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 10:46 PM, Mike Schinkel
<mikeschinkel at newclarity.net> wrote:
> What I'd like to propose is the creation of a new concept for WordPress, the "Optional module."  Optional modules would be singular like the core and would be versioned with the core but they would not be included in the default installation.  Optional modules would be "installed-on-demand" based on a plugin's request and admin's approval to install, and the version of the optional module installed would be determined by the version of the WordPress core that is installing it.



-- 
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