Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
15
Why Not Submit to the Plugin Directory?
The main reason you wouldn't want to be in the directory is probably because you want to main-
tain control over your source code, and/or you want to make money directly from creating your
plug-in. The Plugin Directory is explicitly restricted to plug-ins released under a software license
compatible with the GNU General Public License (GPL). There are a variety of licenses that qualify,
but all of them allow anyone to use, copy, and enhance your code independent of you, though they
must return any enhancements back to you, where you can consider adding that enhancement to
your code. This is actually what WordPress does when you submit your plug-in to the directory—
many plug-ins eventually become part of the WordPress core.
Some people have the misconception that the GPL doesn't allow developers to charge money for
code. This is not true, as companies who have written very large checks for copies of Red Hat
Enterprise Linux can attest to. Nonetheless, the WordPress Plugin Directory doesn't have a shop-
ping cart page in its workflow, so don't expect to generate income from your directory downloads.
Theoretically, you could sell copies of your plug-ins from your website directly, while still being
hosted in the directory, but you probably shouldn't expect much income that way.
Also remember that many people with a great deal of programming talent, WordPress knowledge,
or both have released plug-ins for free before you. Most people who do charge for plug-ins began
by developing plug-ins for free, building up a following of people who liked their work, before
charging for their most complex offerings. Even people who do charge for plug-ins often charge less
than would be needed to fully cover the time they spend writing and supporting their work. In
other words, although a few people might “get rich” from plug-ins, it's not a way to get rich quickly
or easily. When in doubt, release your work freely.
If you're writing a plug-in to phish for bloggers and their visitors' personal information, or infect the
population with some vicious virus, worm, or Trojan, chances are very good you won't be able to
get that into the directory (and you run the risk of being exposed before the world as an evildoer).
The same goes for racist, genocidal, pornographic, and similarly objectionable materials.
Most plug-ins, and their authors, don't come under these categories. So let's see what it takes to
get into the directory.
Submitting to the Plugin Directory
The process to get your plug-in into the directory is fairly straightforward, and explained at
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/about.
Briefly, the process goes like this:
1.
Create an account at WordPress Plugins.
2.
Sign up at http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/add. You'll be asked for the name of your plug-
in, a description, and the URL.
3.
To quote directly, “Within some vaguely defined amount of time, some one will approve your
request.”
