WordPress.org

1. joehark
   Member
   Posted 3 months ago #

   Negative comments are usually clobbered but what happens when it's the truth? We shall see. If experience holds any indication, it will simply be dead silence.

   I just looked back at my postings asking very simple plugin support questions. The first ten posts are up to a year old and not one reply.

   When you back further, two and three years, the record is not much better. I see replies, but they are from other people who are asking the same question.

   But the plugin authors? Not a peep.

   So are these plugin support forums a waste of time?

2. Mark (podz)
   Support Maven
   Posted 3 months ago #

   There are some plugin authors who are very active and support their plugins extremely well in these forums. Unfortunately there are others who choose not to.

   My advice is to search the forums for the plugin name and if you do not see the level of Support you want, do not use the plugin.
   BUT
   Many plugin authors have FAQ's and Support information at their own website and some have forums.
   Other plugin authors make it clear in their plugin that an upgraded version of their plugin brings with it custom support and that the free version offers limited support.

   So always carefully check the plugin README for all the information and the plugin admin pages. There are plugin users who post here for help when it is really clear in the plugin that help is available elsewhere.

3. joehark
   Member
   Posted 3 months ago #

   Thanks for the response. You do not say anything I disagree with. However, there is more to be said.

   I have always been one to send donations for plugins that I use. I build an average of a new wordpress-based web site every two weeks and I always make it clear to the site owner that they have a responsibility as well.

   But it is frustrating to look at the long list of plugin issues in these forums and note how few are actually supported. Those authors who offer pro versions do themselves no favors and actually harm their reputations when they ignore reasonable support requests. I would never pay for the pro version of any plugin - or donate to the creator of any open source software - who ignores support requests.

   There's no point in naming names. I am not here to pick a fight. But to give you one example . . . one of my support requests is for a plugin whose web site offers support for $120 an hour but has never responded to a bug report or a request in these forums from me or anyone else. Their product looks excellent but it is also positioned at the high end of a field filled with active competitors. What are they thinking when they ignore their best potential customers?

4. Ipstenu
   Half-Elf Support Rogue & Mod
   Posted 3 months ago #

   one of my support requests is for a plugin whose web site offers support for $120 an hour but has never responded to a bug report or a request in these forums from me or anyone else.

   I've bolded something important here, which I think you misunderstand.

   There is no obligation or requirement to provide free support on this site. It's nice if you do, but you don't have to. Devs have to make a living too.

5. joehark
   Member
   Posted 3 months ago #

   You have characterized my comment as saying devs should not be paid. That is not at all what I said or meant.

   Maybe I need to say it more bluntly. Devs have a responsibility for what they publish, free or paid. If it's buggy, it is unprofessional and even thoughtless to just drop it out there and walk away. Those who do that, they harm their own reputations.

   And it does no credit or help for WordPress to facilitate and even promote the distribution of plugins that are not supported. I posted my opinion in belief that it is possible WP does not realize what is going on. In everything else I see them do they are highly responsible and eager to protect the brand that we all respect. I still hope that will happen.

6. Mark (podz)
   Support Maven
   Posted 3 months ago #

   Devs have a responsibility for what they publish, free or paid. If it's buggy, it is unprofessional and even thoughtless to just drop it out there and walk away. Those who do that, they harm their own reputations.

   I will never and have never supported themes or plugins from authors who charge for their support. I have happily said in forums that they have never offered support in our forums. Those authors should pass or fail on their own. Why should I give my time for free when they value their time higher?
   It has also always been the case that authors release themes and plugins and clearly state they will not provide support. We cannot insist they do.
   What is Support?
   Posting here to every request?
   Adding all features demanded?
   Posting here 5 times a week? 20 times a week?

   And it does no credit or help for WordPress to facilitate and even promote the distribution of plugins that are not supported.

   We cannot know that until plugins are released and being used by many people. So we cannot then remove a plugin. That will cause authors to stop supporting or even creating plugins. It will cause arguments.

   I posted my opinion in belief that it is possible WP does not realize what is going on

   I know support is not always given. This has been the case since plugins and themes happened from 2004 onwards (and I've been in WP since then). But there is not anything we can do. The ability to contribute has to be matched by the ability to withdraw.

   And I want to emphasis this:
   "Devs have a responsibility for what they publish, free "
   Some authors provide a huge amount of support. They visit here, they provide support on forums on their site, they release new features and they get nothing back. They get very little in the way of contributions or gifts from wishlists. If you were to divide what they get by hours spent on plugins (which they do in their free time) it would be pennies. Would everyone here do that? No. So let's not lose sight of the massive contribution most authors make and also accept that the ones you mean are the tiny minority.

7. Ipstenu
   Half-Elf Support Rogue & Mod
   Posted 3 months ago #

   I preface this with "I pay for plugins when there's need." I'm not always paying for the support, and when it's behind a paywall, I do itch, but I'm willing to pay for support, because that's sensible to me. It's how you run a business.

   Devs have a responsibility for what they publish, free or paid.

   Should, I agree. Have to I don't.

   Products offered free of charge, with an explicit statement of 'You're on your own, no support.' are fine by me. People who say "I offer some free support." are ditto. People who offer ONLY paid support, so long as it's expressly documented in their read-me, are also fine.

   People who don't do that... Well they annoy me :)

8. esmi
   Theme Diva & Forum Moderator
   Posted 3 months ago #

   Should, I agree. Have to I don't.

   Loudly seconded - from someone who does offer free support for a fairly popular plugin both here & on a dedicated self-hosted forum.

   There's also a limit as to what level of support can be realistically offered for free. "I need help setting this plugin up" is fine. "I want you to give me new CSS so your plugin can look nicer in my theme" is not. Neither is "I'm not going to bother reading any of the documentation that took you weeks to create. I want you to hand hold me through every step".

   Yes - people should expect a reasonable level of basic support but the keyword here is "reasonable".

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