24 October 2011Have you taken ever the time to read that comes with your WordPress installation in the 'license.txt' file? No? Don't worry, you're probably not alone. Be you must be familiar with the proper software licenses? Ah, go there, something that you know a little about. Most of the software you need to use legally purchased or own. WordPress, something is different however. It is on the GNU General Public License, which means that you are able to whom to give you... for free! Really, it is right in the license:
"You can copy and distribute verbatim copies of the program source code, as you, get it in any form, provided that you conspicuously and appropriately on each copy of an appropriate copyright notice and legal disclaimer;" publish keep intact all notices, which refer to this license and without any warranty; "and no other recipients of the program give a copy of this license with the program".
The code base for WordPress is by a group of programmers who are not only developers but also users of WordPress. Also you could help the WordPress better by identifying errors in the TRAC (core.trac.wordpress.org & requires a WordPress.org account). The same people who help to detect errors and problems with WordPress are a few of the same people, the development of plugins and themes that you use, myself included. Most of these plugins are free of charge and for use under the same license as WordPress itself. You can however find that you over and over again a ' premium theme ' or 'Premium Plugin' to stumble. These additions to WordPress in general are not free and come in a variety of cost and functionality.
There are some open-source fans, who think, paid content for a free platform is just not right, and there are others, that the idea of paid addition products free welcome. I'll give you some advantages and disadvantages of the two of them.
Free philosophy
Is most of the people, the right free better right? In an open-source community most people just assume that is licensed as free and open software. To all to mention, who do not like the price point, free! As with free products, you have to expect that you will find some delay in the identification of errors and the release of the correction. For developers free is nice, because it, usually a much larger user base, it encourages people to try your product, because there is no cost to do. As a user is free of appreciated as well, it's free! Free of charge, allows the user to experiment and expand your site with no obligation.
You could then questions, what are the falls of free content. As already mentioned, a delay in the development cycle is the most important question, because most of these developers have full-time jobs outside of this venture. You can also view or to donate "NAGs". While the income incentive offer for the developer, they are not guaranteed, so I still think it is. People who can develop the free content to host their plugins and themes on WordPress.org in their extend section.
The premium philosophy
A question that I often hear is, "why someone for an extension would raise a free product?" The answer is pretty clear, it is profitable. If you are developing a plugin or a theme that corresponds to share the needs of a large user base and market for low cost enough, then you will most likely be much money. Premium/paid plugins and themes get usually a much larger support-community built to the developers and designers of them more time and effort in they maintain, because they are paid for. Essentially, it is their full time job. This is not to say that the developers who freely give away their content does not provide great support, but it less incentive to the when it matters barebones are, that... Developers need to earn money as well. Premium plugins and themes usually have a much greater range of options and settings of your Web site as well as to expand.
Usually, the premium content on WordPress.org can be found in their extend because here, you can download for free the distributed plugins and themes. The developers and designers must host it yourself or by another resource, offers the possibility to protect their assets.
My thoughts
Do I use paid plugins or themes? This answer is no. I don't have a plugin or theme that I paid for used. My thoughts are that the people are not familiar with the encoding of a design or as a plugin works, but wants something simply should work in premium themes or plugins. If you not a little dirty, are your fingers you free themes and plugins, and modify their code to your needs tailored. This is not for the faint-hearted, however, and some can cause side effects.
Simply said, I can change usually have a theme or plugin for my requirements, but that's not to say, if I find a must have premium theme or plugin, I will not pony up some money for it. It is best to your WordPress site as well as your Smartphone. If the product is something you use every day, and "can not without life" then what is the problem with throwing a few bucks for the developer. Weather, it is by paying for the application/plugin or through donations, the developers will appreciate it (full disclosure, I have a "Donate" button on my plugin page, but I expect not be used).
Whatever your needs are for your site, what I think you will find a free plugin or theme, which will comply with it, probably, but you want to support with a product, which has the better chance that can be updated more frequently you are looking for in a paid solution. Again, this is not to say that a developer is a free add on your product do not support, but if you think about it, chances are only for your benefit.
