[wp-meta] [Making WordPress.org] #6511: Bring back the active install growth chart

[Making WordPress.org]

#6511: Bring back the active install growth chart
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 Reporter:  markzahra         |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  enhancement       |      Status:  new
 Priority:  high              |   Milestone:
Component:  Plugin Directory  |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                    |
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Comment (by markzahra):

 Replying to [comment:3 johnjamesjacoby]:

 Hi John, I'd like to clarify a few things from your reply since it's left
 me with more questions than answers, unfortunately.

 > See also [https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/3016#comment:12 this
 comment] from @mnelson4 on 3018:
 >
 > > I assume this was a closed-door security or privacy decision taken by
 a larger group than just the committer.
 >
 > This assumption is correct. 💯

 What is this confirmation based on? Were you part of the group or are
 aware of who formed part of that group, or is your confirmation based on
 something else?


 > > They should be brought back and improved rather than taken away
 >
 > I do not have any doubts that this is the longterm goal. 🛣️

 Again I must ask - is this your personal opinion or something that's a
 fact and based on your knowledge from internal discussions that were not
 made public to the community of plugin developers?


 > * I've independently identified precisely why these charts were removed
 the way that they were

 Can you please confirm where you've identified this so that the rest of us
 can have a look, please?

 > * I would not have made any different decisions had I been in on the
 decision making process

 This comment implies that you weren't part of the decision-making process,
 so I come back to my first question above.

 > Our original primary concern was: revealing active install charts &
 graphs for all plugins & themes may not actually be healthy for the entire
 community, because it is impossible to resist using that single number to
 speculate about things those numbers may or may not imply – quality,
 security, performance, earnings, success, etc... and when that scales to
 inevitably comparing data across multiple plugins & themes, is any of that
 actually healthy, positive, or a real goal? 🏥

 What is wrong with being able to speculate about those factors exactly?
 And what is wrong with comparing that data across multiple plugins and
 themes? Knowing where you stand and how your product's changes are
 performing is healthy and positive since it leads to better quality
 products for millions of WordPress users around the world.

 > We decided, back then, together, that it wasn't – not because it was not
 useful, but because it likely would be harmful.

 What are the potentially harmful aspects? And who would it be potentially
 harmful to?

 That's not clear yet. Seeing the number of developers that have confirmed
 how these stats helped them grow and improve their plugins during the past
 couple of days, this statement seems contradictory to what the community
 is actually saying.

 > Later on, when the next generation of fine folks brought it up and
 worked on it again, it was with the above knowledge imparted on to them,
 and I have a fuzzy memory of Matt announcing the feature at a State of the
 Word with an asterisk of minor trepidation – but I may be misremembering
 😅

 What's the feature being referenced here? And what was Matt announcing
 about it?

 > All of this is my own independent way of saying/confirming/comforting,
 that the importance of this feature is very well understood by the team of
 people who build & maintain WordPress.org, and I trust that work is
 happening to determine its fate & future even if I cannot see it myself 💞

 We all ''hope'' for that, but the lack of communication is not comforting.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/6511#comment:4>
Making WordPress.org <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/>
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