Fun with WordPress - Latest Comments in Plugin Standards

Re: Plugin Standards

arickmann — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:37:53 -0000

From the responses on your WLT post I think there are a few people that wouldn't be too happy at having standards imposed on them officially. Even if it is just for the repository.

In general I like having defined standards to work to as it makes my life easier, and makes it easier for me to learn how to do things better.

Re: Plugin Standards

Jeffro2pt0 — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:41:37 -0000

Or, should the standards or guidelines be in affect for only those plugins that want to be hosted in the WP Plugin Repository and everything else outside of the repository is fair game for the plugin author to do what he thinks is best.

But you bring up a good point in that, it would still be nice to see some sort of UNOFFICIAL list of guidelines that plugin authors could CHOOSE to follow if they wanted to. Perhaps the reason so many plugin authors do the things they do is because there is no list of guidelines to follow?

Re: Plugin Standards

arickmann — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:53:06 -0000

I'm not sure. It seems to me that the people who want a standard will follow it, and those that don't, or don't agree with it, just won't.

Perhaps, rather than aiming for something official, we should simply create an unofficial standard and see if people are interested in following it, or if there is an advantage in following it?

Re: Plugin Standards

Jeffro2pt0 — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:47:01 -0000

I love the way you look at the WP Repository as a way to release an official or widely used plugin versus releasing a hacked file on your site. That's the argument I'm trying to discuss in favor of the Repository system. No need to force plugin authors to code their plugin so that it meets the repositories requirements, but the repository should be viewed as the BIG BOYS area of plugins where the end user's expectations for plugins are high.

It would be nice though if plugin authors abided by some sort of guidelines, even with their small file hacks. But I realize that WordPress is as open as an open source project can be, and any guidelines that are presented could just as easily be ignored.

The more I think about these plugin issues, the more my head spins around on my shoulders lol. There are so many different ways you could take this.

But I agree. We are in discussions right now and are not doing any real work in terms of getting things done. Perhaps filing something in the trac system would be the way to go?