3stars, it works and it works well. Was once a 5star plugin, but then the owner released an update warning that all free functionality would soon require payment.

As a result every client whom I have integrated this plugin for woke up to messages all over their WordPress install that they would need to pay for this plugin. (That reflected very poorly on me as they assumed I did not tell them about this.)

As such, I was forced to do the following: Download the plugin, strip it down, customize it, remove all “future paid” features, rename all vars, reinstall it and freeze it at it’s current version under a new name as an ‘orphan plugin’.

In doing so I have now rewritten 30% of the core plugin and integrated new features (like invisible recapcha and a style editor) which took me another 60 hours of PHP dev. that’s unpaid hours mind you.

In defense of Jeff Farthing –
As a fellow developer I have now seen the massive amount of work Jeff put into building this plugin from the ground up, whats more, after customizing it I now feel like I want to be paid too… I even considered releasing my version.

How do we define morality in OpenSource –
Here is my reasoning:
1- It would be wrong for me to release my version of the plugin because it’s built on Jeff’s work.

2- I also feel it’s wrong for Jeff to re-release the plugin making the free features into paid features. (even though I would want to be paid for all that work too) He did after all release under the GNU license.

Two wrongs do not make right.

Is there a middle ground?
I think so. I would propose that TML as a plugin be FROZEN the way it is, always free but no longer updated. Place an ad into the right side that offers “TML-PRO” and only maintain that plugin. This might be a more appropriate way to please everyone.

What about GNU?
Consider that previous version of TML have been released under GNU. They can be made available on GITHUB legally and remain forever free…

I can see both sides of this argument here, and I understand it. Its a tuff cookie, but I think there could be some appropriate and graceful solutions with ‘the right kind of eyes’…

Thank you for your hard work, but alas, even as a fellow coder I must also join the ranks of a “non-payer” and jump ship.