[Qgis-psc] Ads in plugins -- allowed?

[Richard Duivenvoorde]

On 15/03/2019 00.42, Nyall Dawson wrote:
> Hi PSC,
> 
> This recent twitter thread discusses how the QuickMapServices plugin
> now includes an ad for paid services:
> 
> https://twitter.com/cartocalypse/status/1105853151796695040
> 
> Is there any official policy on including ads in plugins?

Mmm, don't think so, not yet a policy.

But in last PSC meeting there was discussion about (I think) related
questions comming in:
- is a non-commercial website url like 'best-QGIS-Training.com' as url
allowed
- is a commercial website 'qgis-pro-foo' allowed
- somebody asking his/her website 'advertized' on the 'Commercial
support' webpage (a company we never seen in the community)

As PSC-member I'm asked 'to find something' about this and make
descisions :(

This is just hard. For example, in this case, people from
QuickMapServices are VERY active and helpfull for QGIS itself, so ...
well, they should be allowed to generate some work from it, isn't it?

But what if other important plugins start to add Google-ads...

Who is setting the 'policy' but even more important: who is willing to
enforce those!

So in my opinion we should stick to our core business: create good
software, and refrain from commercial AND non-commercial advertisements
or pointers in QGIS (or it's websites!).

This makes enforcing a lot easier, and we do not need a 'rule'-police.

So yes, even get rid of the current commercial support page, because now
a small group of people decides if you are 'core committer' enough to be
there. It's 'smelly' if a selected "have's" decide over "don't have's".

If we just do not have this page, we do not have to discuss this.

Stick to the core! People wanting to make a living out of QGIS: cool, do
it! But not from within the project itself.

Regards,

Richard Duivenvoorde