MaxBlogPress Plugins Removed From WP Repository

[chipbennett]

(H/T wpkid)

It appears that, after numerous complaints in the WP.or support forums, MaxBlogPress plugins have been removed from the WordPress plugin repository.

It seems that MaxBlogPress plugins required "activation" by means of email subscription opt-in, in order to use the plugins. Further, from reports of those issuing complaints, the email subscription led to daily (or near-daily) internet-marketing, "spammy" emails.

(Also mentioned is that the plugins have a phone-home mechanism - something that has been beaten to death elsewhere :) ).

At first blush, it seems that removing these plugins from the repository was the correct move. If the plugins required "activation" in order to use, then such a use restriction seems to be incongruent with the GPL - and if the plugins aren't GPL, then they cannot be hosted at the WP.org repository.

Thoughts?

[Otto]

My opinion: Good. Those plugins shouldn't have been in the repo anyway.

Additional: I want to clarify that I'm not saying that the guy is a spammer and I really don't give a crap about his marketing newsletter and such. The reason I don't like his plugins is that they have a forced registration and/or activation when all the functionality is in the plugin.

Consider Akismet and WP.com stats. These have a sort of forced activation in that you need an API key to use them. However, the actual main functionality of the plugin is a separate service. The plugin is really just an interface to that service, and the key is needed to access the service. This I have no problem with, as many services require keys.

These plugins, on the other hand, access no separate services as far as I know. The functionality is in the plugin itself, and yet there's a phone home and a forced activation methodology built into them. That code is totally unnecessary for the plugin to actually function, and that's my main problem with the plugin.

The WordPress Extend repository is NOT an appropriate place for marketers to place their spam and lead-generation mechanisms, even if they attach it to actual useful functionality. It's one thing to make a separate service and require information to maintain a connection to that service, it's wholly another to require information for no reason other than to satisfy your own marketing needs.

To put it much more simply: If it is at all possible for me to edit the plugin and remove the registration mechanism and then have the plugin still work and do what it is supposed to do, then the registration mechanism should not be in the plugin to begin with, and/or the plugin should not be allowed in the Extend repo.

[chipbennett]

My opinion: Good. Those plugins shouldn't have been in the repo anyway.

Additional: I want to clarify that I'm not saying that the guy is a spammer and I really don't give a crap about his marketing newsletter and such. The reason I don't like his plugins is that they have a forced registration and/or activation when all the functionality is in the plugin.

Consider Akismet and WP.com stats. These have a sort of forced activation in that you need an API key to use them. However, the actual main functionality of the plugin is a separate service. The plugin is really just an interface to that service, and the key is needed to access the service. This I have no problem with, as many services require keys.

These plugins, on the other hand, access no separate services as far as I know. The functionality is in the plugin itself, and yet there's a phone home and a forced activation methodology built into them. That code is totally unnecessary for the plugin to actually function, and that's my main problem with the plugin.

The WordPress Extend repository is NOT an appropriate place for marketers to place their spam and lead-generation mechanisms, even if they attach it to actual useful functionality. It's one thing to make a separate service and require information to maintain a connection to that service, it's wholly another to require information for no reason other than to satisfy your own marketing needs.

(Is everyone sitting down?)

Otto, I agree with what you said - completely! I think you've summed it up perfectly.

[Cais]

(Is everyone sitting down?)

Otto, I agree with what you said - completely! I think you've summed it up perfectly.

I agree, especially if the plugin could be edited and the functionality retained. The "phone home" and "built-in forced activation" just ends up making for bloat.

PS: @chipbennett, you didn't mention anything about strapping yourself in

[chipbennett]

I agree, especially if the plugin could be edited and the functionality retained. The "phone home" and "built-in forced activation" just ends up making for bloat.

I've already forked two of the MBP plugins; about to take a look at a third. Stripping out the activation crap is proving to be surprisingly easy.

PS: @chipbennett, you didn't mention anything about strapping yourself in

Oh, I'm sure we'll find something to return to our usual ways, soon ;)

[Cais]

I've already forked two of the MBP plugins; about to take a look at a third. Stripping out the activation crap is proving to be surprisingly easy.

I was considering that myself, glad you picked up on them. I have a few other ideas in front of that one, plus I still have to "clean up" my latest plugin as well.

Good Coding!

[chipbennett]

I was considering that myself, glad you picked up on them. I have a few other ideas in front of that one, plus I still have to "clean up" my latest plugin as well.

Good Coding!

I think I'm going to limit myself to four of them. The rest are pretty much internet-marketing crap.

I've submitted forks for the Favicon plugin and the Ping Optimizer plugin. Two others are on deck (Multi-Author Comment Notification and Stripe Ad).

Of course, if anyone thinks any of the others would be useful, I'd be happy to take a look at them.

[brandingdavid]

Good on you for taking up the challenge and "fixing" them. :) That'll teach him to do something counter-community.

[carlhancock]

"If the plugins required "activation" in order to use, then such a use restriction seems to be incongruent with the GPL - and if the plugins aren't GPL, then they cannot be hosted at the WP.org repository."

Just wanted to clarify that these plugins are in fact GPL compliant, regardless if they ask for your email address before allowing you to activate the plugin... that doesn't mean it isn't in line with the GPL.

If the code is released under the GPL there is nothing to stop you from editing the code and removing this functionality and changing the plugin as you see fit. Thats where the GPL's involvement comes into play and the plugin author doesn't tell you that you can't do that and has released the code as GPL.

So as far as the GPL issue goes... it's not doing anything wrong.

Obviously how these plugins operate isn't in line with what many in the community and those running the WordPress.org repository feel is acceptable. That's fine, but nobody should be making this a GPL issue... it's not.

I'm not defending them or taking sides, I just wanted to point out that this most certainly isn't a GPL issue.

[Ryan]

Icky! What a horrible way to build a plugin.

Thanks for taking on the task of rewriting them Chip.

You are going to have a lot of plugins under your belt very shortly :p