[wp-hackers] Plugin Site

[Stephen O'Connor]

"Attempts to prevent distribution and code adoption by others violates the
GPL in both letter and spirit. With open source, you have to set the code
free.  If people want to tightly control distribution of their code, they
shouldn't be working on an open source project."

What makes WP so great to me is the community; the particular license means
little to people like myself. But an overly-strict policy would destroy the
trust, respect, and simplicity that makes our community so much fun. I would
hate to scare away ANY plugin author because we were so unforgiving with our
terms.

I could see this potentially leading to a drop in open plugin publications.
Imagine a plugin blackmarket, where a plugin is available only if the user
promises not to mirror the content. Plugin enforcers will track down an
illegitimate plugin and "free" it by divorcing the plugin's author. Then the
author will be thoroughly re-educated in proper GPL behaviour. Already the
party has plans for there to be no plugin authors, only contributors to the
United WordPress Socialist State. </sarcasm> ;)

Please respect an authors choice even if you don't agree with it.

- Stephen