[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #46763: Improve plugin search results with already active plugins

[WordPress Trac]

#46763: Improve plugin search results with already active plugins
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 Reporter:  joostdevalk  |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  enhancement  |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal       |   Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Plugins      |     Version:
 Severity:  normal       |  Resolution:
 Keywords:               |     Focuses:  ui, administration
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Comment (by jb510):

 I dislike all the mockups that separate the plugins at the top of the
 list.

 I feel we should not allow anything that makes it look like using and
 existing plugin's functionality is preferable to using other plugins
 tailored to the functionality.

 I see simple search examples like "backup" and "xml sitemaps", however
 what happens when the search query is "facebook".  Does Jetpack get top
 billing because it has facebook share buttons built in?  Does WP SEO get
 top billing because it provides for FB OG tags?

 I feel a better solution would be to allow plugins to manipulate there
 search result card, _without_ changing the order of results.
 https://cloudup.com/cYCjug00nM2/f

 That card could then be modified however the plugin author wanted, it
 could say "Jetpack provides share buttons including Facebook", or "WP SEO
 includes XML Sitemaps!".

 We ought to trust organic search results, or we ought to improve them (I
 know they've been worked on).

 The problem is top billing implicitly suggests that utilizing that plugin
 is a better solution than activating a new one which I find a FALSE
 PREMISE.  I feel users are not well served by "one plugin that does 50
 things poorly" over "50 plugins that each do one thing exceptionally
 well".  We shouldn't be encouraging massively bloated swiss army knife
 plugins.

 WP SEO provides a great sitemap feature, Jetpack does too... but neither
 are the "best" solution for users in many cases. Just because someone has
 installed a plugin that includes some functionality, that doesn't mean
 they wouldn't be much better of installing one of the dedicated XML
 Sitemap plugins.

 The goal of search results should be to present _the best solution for
 users_.

 Further, I can already see plugin devs consolidating dozens of disparate
 plugins into "master plugins" just to capitalize on this opportunity.

 I'm totally in favor of allowing plugins to modify their own search card
 _without_ changing search order. I can see the benefits to that without
 all the negatives top line billing brings.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/46763#comment:14>
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