[wp-meta] [Making WordPress.org] #1692: Plugin search quality improvements

[Making WordPress.org]

#1692: Plugin search quality improvements
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 Reporter:  tellyworth             |       Owner:
     Type:  enhancement            |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal                 |   Milestone:  Plugin Directory v3 - M4
Component:  Plugin Directory       |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  dev-feedback needs-    |
  docs                             |
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Changes (by rglennnall):

 * keywords:   => dev-feedback needs-docs


Comment:

 A thought on whatever standards there are, or are even suggested, for
 plugin developers and their submissions to the Plugin Directory:

 After having ''experienced'' likely thousands of plugins, i'm amazed at
 the incredible range of 'installation and use instructions' presented with
 the plugins by the authors. Some are quite thorough, but more are woefully
 inadequate to nonexistent - there are times when i actually have to
 abandon my attempts to try one out before I even see it in action because
 i cannot find where or how it's implemented.

 I realize there are vast arrays of developers and development teams
 submitting plugins, and I realize that WP cannot monitor the plugins.

 what i continue to wonder is what kinds of standards or suggestions, or
 tips, exist to aid these developers in a) presenting a useful product, and
 b) having successful conversions (free or paid)...?

 It's suggested within this ticket thread that we pay attention to the
 'last updated' data, and this certainly tells us something toward what to
 expect, but we nevertheless must invest some time (often WAY TOO MUCH
 time) in finding and testing a needed plugin.

 along these lines, it's also fairly depressing to scroll through hundreds
 of plugin search results in which many of them haven't been updated,
 likely even looked at, by its authors for over a year, sometimes 2 years.

 So my questions/suggestions are 2:

 1) ARE there standards that address not only the coding but the user
 instructions provided at some level for plugin authors? If not, shouldn't
 there be?

 2) ISN'T there a justifiable means of weeding the garden of, say, year-old
 or more, unattended weeds? Seems to me that an author who wants his plugin
 to be a success would put in a bit if time to at least bump his product up
 by "updating" the thing periodically, and conversely, these plugins which
 are clearly abandoned don't seem to be given any concern by its author and
 will not likely be missed by them.

 I appreciate the FANTASTIC work WordPress and its people (you) does for we
 developers. Big Time.

 thanks,
 GN

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Ticket URL: <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/1692#comment:15>
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