when a plugin calls home

  • So I need a feature on my site, I looked for a plugin and I found one, looked at the other plugins of that author.

    The plugin I found and 4 others of that author, on the FAQs for those plugins it is asking for me to register for an account with the author.

    Paypal button, countdown, poll, social media icons and weather.

    I don’t know why I would need to register for an account to have those features. I understand why I would need to do for JetPack and Akismet but isn’t there a policy against plugins calling home?

    Specially for countdown, polls and social media icons. I don’t see why I would need to register for an account on the author’s website.

    I have no idea if I should make this post or send someone an e-mail about it. (if e-mail is better then which e-mail?).

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Moderator Jan Dembowski

    (@jdembowski)

    Forum Moderator and Brute Squad

    but isn’t there a policy against plugins calling home?

    Yes there is.

    https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/about/guidelines/

    Which plugin? Sometimes a plugin will make it a service even though it doesn’t have to be.

    Thread Starter Miroslav Glavi?

    (@miroslavglavic)

    I noticed in the first question of the FAQs for their plugins I checked out is:

    Do I need to create a POWr Account?

    Yes, you need a POWr Account. Your account allows you to edit plugins right in your live webpage, and to recreate plugins across many different sites.

    https://profiles.www.ads-software.com/powr

    It doesn’t make sense to me that I need to create an account on the author’s site to do countdowns, social media icons and even their paypal button plugin.

    Obviously I need an accounr on the different social media sites if I want to use powr’s social media icons (or any of the other social media icon plugins on the repository).

    I checked the FAQs and descriptions for most of powr’s plugins. THis just doesn’t sit well with me. Yes I know I can use the plugins of other authors that can do the same features for my site.

    Moderator Jan Dembowski

    (@jdembowski)

    Forum Moderator and Brute Squad

    Ah. Those plugins.

    *Drinks last of coffee*

    1. If they are accessing resources on their site
    2. and that code executes on their site to do what they are doing
    3. and the code, effect, results are dependent on that account

    then that’s software as a service and that account is fine.

    I have not looked at the plugin code for any of those plugins. If you can comment out the account creation/access part and the plugins still works then please share that. That would mean that that plugin is not SaaS and would be violating the plugin guidelines requiring that account.

    Hi Jan, Hi Miroslav,

    Eric from POWr here. I saw this thread and wanted to jump in.

    We are indeed software as a service. More than happy to answer any questions. Just shoot me an email at [email protected].

    Best,
    -eric

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • The topic ‘when a plugin calls home’ is closed to new replies.