Plugin relies on code on author's site (phones home)

I refuse to use plugins that choose to rely on code stored on the publishers site. This causes havoc if/when the plugin is no longer updated and thus forces a lifecycle on the plugin.

The images and all code could be stored local, like 99% of all the WordPress plugins, but this author chooses not to do this.

This also causes slowdowns and lack of functions when the plugin is used in a corporate environment, behind firewalls and proxy’s which only allow specific access to the outside world, or in some case there is NO access.

It is not only in poor taste and design, not to mention the author can pull statistics on your site’s users, as the external link happens every time the button is shown.