Plugin to Add DONATE Link to Plugin Description

[andreasnrb]

Because some people won't want to be shoving their donation links inside someone else's site.

It will only be visible on the backend on plugins page. So what if people don't want it.
Of all the things we have discussed here this is what brings up concerns, not forking plugins, removing plugins from directory etc? A plugin that adds a donate link to plugins is what causes "most" nonos? Its funny.
The WP architecture makes this possible and if someone wants to do it I say go ahead. If WP didn't want other plugins to "mess" with other plugins display they should not have made it possible.

[chipbennett]

Because some people won't want to be shoving their donation links inside someone else's site.


I find it kinda odd that donation links are officially placed in the repo. at all let alone extending it to the admin panel.

So, the Author Link should go away too, then, by that line of reasoning?

After all, plugin authors certainly wouldn't want to be "shoving" their Author Link inside of someone else's site...

(And yes, I'm in full snark mode with this comment, because I find this argument ridiculous. Why would a plugin author not want their Donate Link listed in the plugin row meta, next to their Author Link, on the Manage Plugins page? It's about as unobtrusive as it could possibly get, and might actually lead to an extra donation or two. For reference, go back and look at the screenshot that Otto posted. It will show you what that link looks like for the Google XML Sitemaps plugin.)

[chipbennett]

I should add: there is a method to my madness.

It is my opinion that, as it is currently implemented, the donation model is doomed to failure. One of the primary reasons is that people just generally are not inclined to donate voluntarily in this environment.

However, a secondary reason is that donating is simply too difficult/inconvenient - so even those users who would otherwise be inclined to donate voluntarily don't do so. It is entirely too inconvenient for users to 1) think, on their own and without prompting, to donate to a plugin author, 2) go to a plugin's page on Extend and click the "Donate" button, and 3) repeat the process for the 5, 10, or more authors of their current plugins.

Therefore, placing a "Donate" link in the plugin meta row, in the plugin table on the Manage Plugins page, would take away two of the three burdensome tasks required for users to donate to plugin authors: they are (gently and inconspicuously) reminded about voluntary donations whenever they happen to be managing their plugins, and they are provided a direct link to donate.

I'm willing to entertain arguments for why such a link would be a bad idea. Otto has raised a valid point that some plugin authors already hook a "Donate" link into plugin_meta_row - but that can be accounted for. But a I categorically refute the argument that this amounts to "shoving [a] donate link inside someone else's site".

If plugin authors didn't want people to donate, then they wouldn't add the "Donate Link" field to readme.txt.

[Otto]

But what of the hundreds of other plugin authors who don't put that link there? Shouldn't they be able to benefit from the same technique?

They can edit their own plugin to add that link if they want to do so. It's their plugin, their space. Leave it alone.

Again, it's not touching anyone else's plugin. It's just a modification to the plugin list on the Manage Plugins page.

These two statements directly contradict each other. The plugin space on that screen belongs to the plugin. The content in that space comes from the plugin, for the most part. For you to come along and screw with it by putting other content from the plugin in there is wrong.

Second, what's to say that the plugin couldn't be made aware of other plugins' similar modifications, so that the "Donate" link isn't duplicated?

What's to say that I couldn't make all my plugins detect the existence of yours, deactivate it, then call the delete_plugins method to remove them from the server?

After all, that's not screwing with your plugins, that's just calling the internal WordPress code, isn't it? :P

Once you open that door, anybody can walk through it. Are you really sure you want to do that?

But, if it were in core, then all plugin authors would know that a Donate link will appear, without needing custom code in their own plugins.

If you want to add code to core, then don't make it use the readme.txt field. You're overloading the use of that field.

What if I want the donation button to appear on the wp.org Extend section, but NOT appear on the user's website? Right now, I can do that. With your idea, I can't.

If you want a Donate link default in core, then argue for a Donate header field to be parsed out of the Plugin Header itself. Not out of the readme.txt. Note that I would have no objection to this at all. What I object to is you wanting to use fields that were expressly designed for a different purpose in order to produce your change.

In other words: Your change needs to be opt-in only. I don't want your change to affect anything about my plugin at all unless I choose for it to do so.

[chipbennett]

They can edit their own plugin to add that link if they want to do so. It's their plugin, their space. Leave it alone.


These two statements directly contradict each other. The plugin space on that screen belongs to the plugin. The content in that space comes from the plugin, for the most part. For you to come along and screw with it by putting other content from the plugin in there is wrong.

So, your opinion here applies also to the Changelogger plugin, that does exactly what I'm proposing to do, with respect to the plugin_meta_row (and pulling information in from readme.txt)?

What's to say that I couldn't make all my plugins detect the existence of yours, deactivate it, then call the delete_plugins method to remove them from the server?

After all, that's not screwing with your plugins, that's just calling the internal WordPress code, isn't it?

And by the way, yes, I absolutely will add code to my plugins to do that to any plugin which I consider to be doing this sort of thing. You want to start a war? Go ahead, I most certainly will use the nuclear option on your ass. We'll see who has more reach.

You go right ahead and try that. I promise I won't lose that fight.

(Hint: remember the little scuffle between the Firefox extensions AdBlockPlus and NoScript? You don't want to go there.)

If you want to add code to core, then don't make it use the readme.txt field. You're overloading the use of that field.

So, again: what of Changelogger? I don't see you complaining about what it does...

What if I want the donation button to appear on the wp.org Extend section, but NOT appear on the user's website? Right now, I can do that. With your idea, I can't.

What is more important is what the user wants. If the user wants to display your Donate Link in a more convenient location, that's his perogative - and the user's intent trumps your intent.

If you want a Donate link default in core, then argue for a Donate header field to be parsed out of the Plugin Header itself. Not out of the readme.txt. Note that I would have no objection to this at all. What I object to is you wanting to use fields that were expressly designed for a different purpose in order to produce your change.

Fair enough. I disagree that it is some abuse of the readme.txt file, but I agree that the implementation would be best-suited if it were in core, rather than in a plugin.

In other words: Your change needs to be opt-in only. I don't want your change to affect anything about my plugin at all unless I choose for it to do so.

Uh, by definition: if a user installs such a plugin, the user is opting-in to displaying a Donate link in the plugin meta row.

[andreasnrb]

The discussion is still funny but Chip is right. Its all about the user and if he/she wants to install a plugin that does this then its his/hers prerogative.
If someone then comes and makes an update to his plugin which disable Chips plugin, well that someone is one despicable fellow.

[Otto]

So, your opinion here applies also to the Changelogger plugin, that does exactly what I'm proposing to do, with respect to the plugin_meta_row (and pulling information in from readme.txt)?

You are mistaken, as Changelogger does no such thing. It puts it's data AFTER the plugin row, using the after_plugin_row hook.

I have no problem with you putting stuff outside that box. Inside the box belongs to the plugin, other plugins shouldn't fuck with it.

Because you're wanting to put links right next to MY NAME. Where you imply that I wanted those links there. When I don't. If I did want them there, I would have put them there myself.

You go right ahead and try that. I promise I won't lose that fight.

Yes, you will. Because I really don't give a flying shit what the "community" thinks.

Let's be clear here: You make a plugin that screws with my plugins, and yes, I will make my every single one of my plugins remove the problem. Your plugin causes a problem, my plugins will fix it. QED.

Don't start problems, then there won't be problems.

Uh, by definition: if a user installs such a plugin, the user is opting-in to displaying a Donate link in the plugin meta row.

This isn't about the user. The plugin author has not opted in to having his work get messed up by yours.

[Otto]

The discussion is still funny but Chip is right. Its all about the user and if he/she wants to install a plugin that does this then its his/hers prerogative.
If someone then comes and makes an update to his plugin which disable Chips plugin, well that someone is one despicable fellow.

If someone makes a plugin that interferes with my plugins to begin with by adding unwanted links, then that someone is an asshole.

Let's take this another direction: What if somebody made a plugin to add advertising in the same place? Like it would randomly put a text ad there for somebody to click on, and it would it on other people's plugin spaces? Would that be acceptable?

It's the exact same thing. It doesn't matter what the content is, you're intentionally and purposefully changing other people's content without their approval. What if I don't want a Donate button there, because I don't want to look like a beggar? Isn't that MY prerogative?

Now you're wanting to make me add code to remove your unwanted bullshit? What arrogance!

[andreasnrb]

Otto You continue to miss the point that it is NOT about what you want. Its what the user want. If the user wants to have a plugin donat link there then that is their prerogative. Just as its the users right to install plugins that adds features to other plugins etc.

Now you're wanting to make me add code to remove your unwanted bullshit? What arrogance!

It is not about what you want its about what the user want. The user wants a donate link there then someone come and make an update to his/her plugin that disables the other plugin the user willingly installed and want? Who is really the badguy then?
Let me repeat again. Its not what YOU want that matters, its what the user, the owner of the wordpress blog wants. If he wants donate links there then that is his/hers prerogative.


I say: Chip, make the plugin and release it. If people don't want it they won't download it. Simple as that. If they really want it then plugin authors will probably add it themselves later anyway and you can discontinue your plugin.

PS
Feels somewhat like the Hybrid "bug" fix plugin. Which someone made to fix something he didn't like with Hybrid. Oh the horror.

[chipbennett]

You are mistaken, as Changelogger does no such thing. It puts it's data AFTER the plugin row, using the after_plugin_row hook.

I have no problem with you putting stuff outside that box. Inside the box belongs to the plugin, other plugins shouldn't fuck with it.

I'm not mistaken.

1) Changelogger adds content to the plugin row, just as I am proposing to do. Changelogger does it using the after_plugin_row hook, and I'm proposing to use the plugin_meta_row hook. The difference is semantic, because, as rendered, both appear as part of the plugin's entry in the table on the Manage Plugins page.

2) The stuff inside that box doesn't "belong" to the plugin. It merely pulls descriptive information about the plugin, using the plugin API - exactly the same thing I'm proposing to do.

3) WordPress provides the hooks in the first place, which implies that they are intended to be used.

Because you're wanting to put links right next to MY NAME. Where you imply that I wanted those links there. When I don't. If I did want them there, I would have put them there myself.

Wrong. The plugin assumes that the user wants to put that link there. Big difference.

If the plugin author doesn't want to provide a Donate link, he simply doesn't put one in the readme.txt file, and then my proposed plugin doesn't put a link in plugin_meta_row.

Yes, you will. Because I really don't give a flying shit what the "community" thinks.

Do you really think that, if you code your plugins to act maliciously in the manner you have threatened here, that they would be allowed to continue to exist in the wordpress.org repository?

Let's be clear here: You make a plugin that screws with my plugins, and yes, I will make my every single one of my plugins remove the problem. Your plugin causes a problem, my plugins will fix it. QED.

Don't start problems, then there won't be problems.

Take your impotent threats elsewhere. I'm not intimidated, and I'm not going to get into a pissing match.

This isn't about the user. The plugin author has not opted in to having his work get messed up by yours.

Irrelevant. Remember this bit from the GNU definition of Free Software?

The freedom to run the program means the freedom for any kind of person or organization to use it on any kind of computer system, for any kind of overall job and purpose, without being required to communicate about it with the developer or any other specific entity. In this freedom, it is the user's purpose that matters, not the developer's purpose; you as a user are free to run the program for your purposes, and if you distribute it to someone else, she is then free to run it for her purposes, but you are not entitled to impose your purposes on her.

If the user chooses to use the plugin I have proposed, then the plugin author's intent is no longer relevant. The user chose to display the Donate link in plugin_meta_row, and that's all that matters.