Comments on: Ranting on Wordpress Plugin Development http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/ mental diuretic Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:42:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Anne Helmond » Review: Justin Shattuck’s site http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-5903 Thu, 08 Mar 2007 08:47:54 +0000 http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-5903 [...] Posted by anne on 08 Mar 2007 at 10:47 am | Tagged as: usability, wordpress themes I first came into “contact” with Justin Shattuck’s when I commented on his post about Wordpress Plugin Development. He seemed to be asking the same questions as I was regarding the configuring and using of WordPress plugins. I am planning on dealing with some of these issues in my MA thesis Blog Software and the Act of Blogging. [...] […] Posted by anne on 08 Mar 2007 at 10:47 am | Tagged as: usability, wordpress themes I first came into “contact” with Justin Shattuck’s when I commented on his post about Wordpress Plugin Development. He seemed to be asking the same questions as I was regarding the configuring and using of WordPress plugins. I am planning on dealing with some of these issues in my MA thesis Blog Software and the Act of Blogging. […]

]]> by: Justin http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-3047 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 15:07:33 +0000 http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-3047 @ttancm: That is a good point, I feel there should be a standard as well. Perhaps this is something that could be pushed for easily. If plugin developers all worked together, I think it could be done rather quickly too. @ttancm: That is a good point, I feel there should be a standard as well. Perhaps this is something that could be pushed for easily. If plugin developers all worked together, I think it could be done rather quickly too.

]]> by: ttancm http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-3044 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 10:19:07 +0000 http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-3044 One thing I wish they would decide on plugins as a whole is where the plugin admin interface is going to be. I'm tired of installing and activating a plugin and then having to hunt through the entire WordPress admin menu to find if the plugin menu is under plugins, options, dashboard, etc. One thing I wish they would decide on plugins as a whole is where the plugin admin interface is going to be. I’m tired of installing and activating a plugin and then having to hunt through the entire WordPress admin menu to find if the plugin menu is under plugins, options, dashboard, etc.

]]> by: Weasel http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-2299 Sat, 16 Dec 2006 00:43:47 +0000 http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-2299 I like plugins that just up and work, but during my development I've found that it is technically impossible to actually create certain plugins without editing some wordpress source first. The majority of the plugins you are referring to are probably just lazily coded, but I had to throw that out there. That said, time to answer your question. I think a plugin should come with the most common and most popular settings pre-set... So that you can just turn it on and it'll work for most folk. There should be a configuration screen that gives VERY WELL DOCUMENTED options that clearly spell out what you can change, why you might want to, and how. This gives the power user ultimate control, gives a newbie a chance to learn, and gives the clueless nothing to worry about. I like plugins that just up and work, but during my development I’ve found that it is technically impossible to actually create certain plugins without editing some wordpress source first. The majority of the plugins you are referring to are probably just lazily coded, but I had to throw that out there.

That said, time to answer your question. I think a plugin should come with the most common and most popular settings pre-set… So that you can just turn it on and it’ll work for most folk. There should be a configuration screen that gives VERY WELL DOCUMENTED options that clearly spell out what you can change, why you might want to, and how. This gives the power user ultimate control, gives a newbie a chance to learn, and gives the clueless nothing to worry about.

]]> by: Anne Helmond http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-2167 Wed, 13 Dec 2006 13:13:06 +0000 http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-2167 Dear Justin, Thank you for your comments. My thesis should be ready and available for download somewhere during the summer of 2007 (if all goes well and according to planning of course ;) ) Right now I would consider plug ins an answer to the constraints Wordpress imposes on its users. Unfortunately only programmers have the ability to work around these constraints because they have the technical wizz to actually build a custom solution to the posed constraint/problem. I think it would be also useful and interesting too look at the community that is creating and writing these plug ins. Also the larger trend of widgets is worth looking at. The "Widgetize Anything" Wordpress plug in is a great example of this. Oi oi. It is time to get my scope narrowed down :) Dear Justin,

Thank you for your comments. My thesis should be ready and available for download somewhere during the summer of 2007 (if all goes well and according to planning of course ;) ) Right now I would consider plug ins an answer to the constraints Wordpress imposes on its users. Unfortunately only programmers have the ability to work around these constraints because they have the technical wizz to actually build a custom solution to the posed constraint/problem. I think it would be also useful and interesting too look at the community that is creating and writing these plug ins. Also the larger trend of widgets is worth looking at. The “Widgetize Anything” Wordpress plug in is a great example of this. Oi oi. It is time to get my scope narrowed down :)

]]> by: Anne Helmond http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-1808 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:40:04 +0000 http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-1808 I have been using widgets and plugins for a little while now and I love them. I have been experiencing some problems with configuring some though. I am currently documenting my problems for my thesis which will deal with software constraints in Wordpress http://www.annehelmond.nl/tag/wordpress I don't mind a wide array of options as long as the documentation is good. I am semi tech-savvy and I strongly dislike documentation such as "adjust the php on the correct page". Which page did you say? I think there is a strong correlation with the development of the themes. Some plugins seem to mess up the theme or the other way round, some themes don't adjust well to plugins. Isn't it possible to come up with a solution that automatically adjust the plugin to your page's CSS? I have been using widgets and plugins for a little while now and I love them.
I have been experiencing some problems with configuring some though. I am currently documenting my problems for my thesis which will deal with software constraints in Wordpress http://www.annehelmond.nl/tag/wordpress

I don’t mind a wide array of options as long as the documentation is good. I am semi tech-savvy and I strongly dislike documentation such as “adjust the php on the correct page”. Which page did you say? I think there is a strong correlation with the development of the themes. Some plugins seem to mess up the theme or the other way round, some themes don’t adjust well to plugins.
Isn’t it possible to come up with a solution that automatically adjust the plugin to your page’s CSS?

]]> by: Anne Helmond » Software constraints in blogging software http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-1807 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:38:38 +0000 http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-1807 [...] The framework itself feels restrictive and I have been looking for tools to accomplish what I want. In the case of Wordpress I have been looking for Widgets and Plug ins that can achieve what I want. Or rather, the backend tools that shape and form my blog. Plugins and widgets are solutions to the restrictions in the Wordpress software, but are restrictions being reproduced on another level? What kind of constraints are built into the internet on the content level? How does software control meaning (content). These are several questions I am planning to ask myself in my MA thesis. I recently came across two related posts: Ranting on Wordpress Plugin Development by Justin Shattuck and Ranting on Wordpress Plugin Development by David at Blogger Pro Bookmark to: [...] […] The framework itself feels restrictive and I have been looking for tools to accomplish what I want. In the case of Wordpress I have been looking for Widgets and Plug ins that can achieve what I want. Or rather, the backend tools that shape and form my blog. Plugins and widgets are solutions to the restrictions in the Wordpress software, but are restrictions being reproduced on another level? What kind of constraints are built into the internet on the content level? How does software control meaning (content). These are several questions I am planning to ask myself in my MA thesis. I recently came across two related posts: Ranting on Wordpress Plugin Development by Justin Shattuck and Ranting on Wordpress Plugin Development by David at Blogger Pro Bookmark to: […]

]]> by: Ranting on Wordpress Plugin Development http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-1779 Thu, 30 Nov 2006 18:06:47 +0000 http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-1779 [...] Justin Shattuck, who is currently working on some plug-ins for WordPress, has released a rant on how many plug-ins are just too complex. I’ve noticed, recently, plugins are not as simple as I, personally would like to see. Plugins seem to have crazy amounts of options and configuration settings. Multiple tags and some are even extremely difficult to integrate. Even for those of us who are savvy with application development, specifically: PHP, MySQL, Ruby, XHTML and CSS; it can be a pain. [...] […] Justin Shattuck, who is currently working on some plug-ins for WordPress, has released a rant on how many plug-ins are just too complex. I’ve noticed, recently, plugins are not as simple as I, personally would like to see. Plugins seem to have crazy amounts of options and configuration settings. Multiple tags and some are even extremely difficult to integrate. Even for those of us who are savvy with application development, specifically: PHP, MySQL, Ruby, XHTML and CSS; it can be a pain. […]

]]> by: Whisper http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-1777 Thu, 30 Nov 2006 16:49:02 +0000 http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-1777 Well I do agree that a plugin should be "set it and forget it", but SOMETIMES the options are nice. The Good -- When I get a plugin I get it because I want the functionality it provides, but sometimes the method it delivers that functionality isn't always how I would like it. I do like having a few trivial options to turn off some of the features of the plugin, and maybe to configure the way it is delivered. As far as the extremely technical bits I like good documentation (missing in LOTS of plugins) so I can tackle that stuff on my own if need be. I don't get upset when this happens cause I understand that most just want to turn it on and trust the developer has things set up just perfectly. The Bad -- When the options are for setting things that are entirely to technical for one to understand they are a pain. Not just for the people, it's also a pain for the developer because inevitably people are going to play with the settings and something is going to go wrong increasing the amount of support you have to provide. So I guess honestly IMO you should go with your gut, and offer as many options as you think the plugin needs. Make sure you put it in really plain language so people understand what it's offering, and have really good documentation. Well I do agree that a plugin should be “set it and forget it”, but SOMETIMES the options are nice.
The Good — When I get a plugin I get it because I want the functionality it provides, but sometimes the method it delivers that functionality isn’t always how I would like it. I do like having a few trivial options to turn off some of the features of the plugin, and maybe to configure the way it is delivered. As far as the extremely technical bits I like good documentation (missing in LOTS of plugins) so I can tackle that stuff on my own if need be. I don’t get upset when this happens cause I understand that most just want to turn it on and trust the developer has things set up just perfectly.
The Bad — When the options are for setting things that are entirely to technical for one to understand they are a pain. Not just for the people, it’s also a pain for the developer because inevitably people are going to play with the settings and something is going to go wrong increasing the amount of support you have to provide.
So I guess honestly IMO you should go with your gut, and offer as many options as you think the plugin needs. Make sure you put it in really plain language so people understand what it’s offering, and have really good documentation.

]]> by:   Ranting on Wordpress Plugin Development by Blogging Pro http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-1743 Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:28:56 +0000 http://www.justinshattuck.com/2006/11/28/ranting-on-wordpress-plugin-development/#comment-1743 [...] Justin Shattuck, who is currently working on some plug-ins for WordPress, has released a rant on how many plug-ins are just too complex. I’ve noticed, recently, plugins are not as simple as I, personally would like to see. Plugins seem to have crazy amounts of options and configuration settings. Multiple tags and some are even extremely difficult to integrate. Even for those of us who are savvy with application development, specifically: PHP, MySQL, Ruby, XHTML and CSS; it can be a pain. [...] […] Justin Shattuck, who is currently working on some plug-ins for WordPress, has released a rant on how many plug-ins are just too complex. I’ve noticed, recently, plugins are not as simple as I, personally would like to see. Plugins seem to have crazy amounts of options and configuration settings. Multiple tags and some are even extremely difficult to integrate. Even for those of us who are savvy with application development, specifically: PHP, MySQL, Ruby, XHTML and CSS; it can be a pain. […]

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