What WordPress plugin would you like to see made?

[Otto]

Didn't EpicAlex put together a plugin to pull in a gravatar dynamically on the wp-login.php page?

Why, yes: here it is!

Might his technique be useful?

His technique requires a hit back to your own server using an AJAX call. This was necessary before gravatar implemented the 404 code. The problem with this sort of thing is that it's more prone to breaking, since the php on your server has to be able to make hits out to gravatar.com to get the gravatar, which won't work in some setups. It's also slower.

The technique I used is pure javascript, talking directly from the browser to gravatar.com. No need for any hits back to your own server at all.

The plugin I wrote is running on my own site: http://ottodestruct.com/blog/wordpre.../gravatar-box/
Put your email address in the proper comment box. Put in a bad email as well. Just click outside the email box (or tab to the next field) to see it activate.

[chipbennett]

His technique requires a hit back to your own server using an AJAX call. This was necessary before gravatar implemented the 404 code. The problem with this sort of thing is that it's more prone to breaking, since the php on your server has to be able to make hits out to gravatar.com to get the gravatar, which won't work in some setups. It's also slower.

The technique I used is pure javascript, talking directly from the browser to gravatar.com. No need for any hits back to your own server at all.

The plugin I wrote is running on my own site: http://ottodestruct.com/blog/wordpre.../gravatar-box/
Put your email address in the proper comment box. Put in a bad email as well. Just click outside the email box (or tab to the next field) to see it activate.

Wow, Otto; that is really, really slick!

One idea: you could set the no-gravatar background image to the gravatar "blank man" image, to help those without gravatars associate the image with not having a gravatar. (If that makes sense...)

[Otto]

That's a styling issue, realistically.

There, done. I just added a line to my CSS:

background:url(http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=96.png);

I went ahead and centered the nogravatar text and made it bold, while I was at it.

[chipbennett]

That's a styling issue, realistically.

There, done. I just added a line to my CSS:

background:url(http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=96.png);

I went ahead and centered the nogravatar text and made it bold, while I was at it.

I know, I know :) It's the same thing I had in mind; I was just suggesting it for the plugin core.

[Otto]

I know, I know :) It's the same thing I had in mind; I was just suggesting it for the plugin core.

Hmmm... No, I think that's better handled via stylesheet rules, for maximum flexibility. Allow the user to use different images, if they'd prefer.

I tend to keep my plugins pretty minimalist. Do the job they're supposed to do, and little else. Extra features and such are a distraction which leads to bad code.

[davecoveney]

I'd like to see a good auto newsletter plugin, with editorial controls.

If somebody doesn't create one then, one day, we'll probably end up writing one ourselves :-) Just a matter of time/money, really.

[Jeffro]

It seems to me that based on feedback I've read regarding sites such as eJunkie which enables you to sell things such as downloadable products, some of these sites/services are not up to par for particular plugin/theme authors. Perhaps a plugin could be made to handle all of that stuff in house. Unless of course, using an e commerce plugin to begin with would be all you need and if that's the case, how come more plugin/theme authors are not using WordPress ecommerce plugins to manage their sales?

[Otto]

That gravatar plugin is now in the Extend repository: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/gravatar-box/

Okay, so, that's one plugin solved. Next? ;)

[chipbennett]

That gravatar plugin is now in the Extend repository: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/gravatar-box/

Okay, so, that's one plugin solved. Next? ;)

I was just going to ask about that... nice to see it's now in Extend!

[JohnM]

Okay, so, that's one plugin solved. Next? ;)

A P2 in dashboard plugin ?

Run P2 with new WP install using the same db, sharing users, showed inline in a menu item in Dashboard menu, to use as an internal communication tool for authors and admins.