I WOULD PAY FOR PLUGINS

Every WordPress installation that I perform inevitably results in me installing a short list of essential plugins. This is not a blog post about what plugins I install though I would be happy to drop a few hints if people cared. This is a blog post that says;
” I want a WordPress Plugin Store “

If you are a very long term reader of this blog or youve met me in person you know that I am a Open Source Advocate who promotes Ubuntu when he can. Like wise my love for the iPhone is almost Objectum-sexual. What drives this joy is not the end product in itself but the upstream control and oversight of a company or group of individuals who ensure that standards are adhered to and that quality is at least assured in the basic ‘its going to work’ sense.

In the case of Apple this is a paid for model where apps costing nothing to £60 are purchased via the Apple Store and in turn this price point is split between Apple and the developers ensuring that product usage drives revenue and in turn development and a return on investment in that time. Ubuntu repositories are freely accessible though the prestige in having a project accepted and packaged and available drives a certain Kudos or Whufte ( did I get that right ? ) .

Meanwhile Automattic the team behind WordPress provide a Plugins directory managed very much in the style of the Open Source Ubuntu model and leave the choice open to developers to request donations which leads in my case to a lack of focus and interest in ensuring these developers gain some remuneration for their eventual hardwork.

I want an Automattic Store for Plugins that lets me buy plugins to use on a per installation basis charging me pennies in the pound for that opportunity and in turn splitting the cost of that between Automattic and the Developers. Now there would be nothing to stop me just taking plugins and reusing , copying and installing them again and again but I suspect the option to opt in to a WordPress Store account as part of your won private WordPress installation to gain access to the Store Plugins would become very popular.  Or I could be utterly wrong.

Thanks for Reading.

ps. There are a whole bunch of similar stories and conversations around this topic elsewhere this was just my particular link free rant.