[wp-hackers] Simplicity in 2.next - plugin update checking

[Owen Winkler]

Peter Westwood wrote:
> This kind of more advanced functionality required more heavy lifting in
> terms of the webservice providing the update info than a simple update
> message - it also makes it easier to implement in the xmlrpc case than
> the rest case.  Which may increase the processing load on the plugin
> providers if they wish to use the functionality.

Yeah, I don't think plugin-server-side checking is necessary.  If the 
right information is sent back for the request, it could be made via 
rest, and handled by serving a static file in response.  The core 
functionality should parse the response and determine the best course of 
action.

Still, the response could contain enough information to come up with an 
answer to the question that is as detailed as "Current & 
Compatible"/"Not compatible & No Update"/"Not tested"/"Needs Update" or 
any number of other results.

> I think that the best first step is to get update notification into the
> core.  If we then move onto update download and install ability that is
> a good improvement that can build upon the previous work.

Matt Read has a good plugin in beta to cannibalize:
http://mattread.com/archives/2006/02/introducing-installer-the-plugin-2/

It installs and uninstalls plugins and themes from zip archives. 
Basically one-click.  Pretty darn cool.

Owen