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Are questions about the Joomla! Extensions Directory (JED) listing-rules, or issues with listings, or interpretation of rules, or gripes about that Directory, on or off topic here?

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  • An example question that has been asked about the JED is here: joomla.stackexchange.com/questions/652/…. May 8, 2014 at 6:35
  • Thank you for your review David. Can you kindly provide the 'basis' on which the question sample above was closed? Is it on the basis that policy questions about the JED are 'off-limits'?
    – NivF007
    May 14, 2014 at 1:00

5 Answers 5

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Personally, I would accept questions about listing rules, licensing, and interpreting the rules as on topic. I think that these are questions that can be definitively answered and would be beneficial information that others in the Joomla community could learn from. (I know that I have learned from the few questions on here already.)

On the other hand, any griping is definitely off topic. I view this site very much like Stack Overflow: anything that can not be answered factually and instead leads to more opinionated answers is a bad fit for the format and should go to a discussion group. So no griping or issues with listings (surrounding approval or lack there of, but questions that clarify the rules would be ok.

I don't think that we want to support any website that remotely relates to Joomla, but since the JED is the official repository for Joomla extensions and is even included in the core as an "install from" location, I do think that it gets a special place. Considering the ease that users can add extensions from the JED to the CMS, I think it is an important place to get an extension listed and thus helpful for Joomla developers to be able to ask about the rules and learn how to structure their licensing and permissions to be listed.


All that being said, I would also not be opposed to reigning this in a bit more if others would like it that way. The JED is definitely not a core feature of using Joomla and thus answering questions about the JED should not become a core focus of this site.

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While I don't have something against JED questions, I don't feel here is generally right place to ask them. Same goes for legal questions regarding licenses.

I don't particularly like the way question Are extensions which require SaaS servers to work permitted to be listed on the JED? had evolved because:

  • Unfortunately it's turning into a discussion: it generated multiple comments around the answers, which can be a sign that there are multiple opinions on this topic and not a clear answer. This is not a discussion forum.

  • JED has some rules, which from time to time might be updated, so YES today, might be a NO tomorrow.

  • JED rules are clearly posted, so anybody wanting to submit an extension, will get a chance to read them.

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  • I share your opinion that generally this is not the right place to ask JED or legal questions, unless it's the type of question where one can refer someone to the JED or Trademark forum, helpdesk or FAQs on joomla.org
    – JacquesR
    May 8, 2014 at 13:21
  • I wasn't really reading the comments yesterday, so I see now how much of a discussion that question turned in to. That is a great analysis. I'm less inclined to jump on your second point though and fear that that would be a bad overall trend. Everything could be updated in the sense that even coding best practices change when functions get deprecated and new functions added. Just because something could change shouldn't be a basis to not ask and answer the question definitively today. May 8, 2014 at 16:16
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If it's a question where you can give a straight answer, then it's fine for me. If it's a question which leads to discussions, then it should be deleted.

It often boils down how the question is worded. In the case of the SaaS question, it was worded in a way which indicates that the author already had an opinion on it and is not really looking for an answer but a discussion. Thus I would vote to delete that one.

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I would say they are off topic on that basis that it's a customer-client relationship (customers of the JED need to go through the appropriate channels).

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As the OP, please let me thank you all for your submissions and provide my feedback for your consideration.

1) Should questions about the JED be permitted on JSE?

I respect this point. It's valid in helping us assess the appropriate scope of questions and answers.

Consider that many people will have 'questions' about the JED which can be definitively answered by experts, and that this is not the same thing as having opinions.

2) Is this a customer support question?

No more so than a question about Joomla! itself. It is not a complaint, nor an inquiry such as 'What is the status of my submissions?' or a challenge to a decision made.

Those would be customer support questions. It is a policy question.

3) A 'loaded, lumped-in' question?

The poster of the question identifies the following categories as if they were equivalent

a) JED Listing Rules; b) Issues with Listings; c) Interpretation of Rules; and d) Gripes.

My question which is used as an example, only pertains to 'a) JED Listing Rules'

With all due respect while the JacquesR may be referencing my question as a 'test-case,' b), c) and d) are irrelevant and make the question a 'loaded one.'

Let's be careful that person asking the question does not use irrelevant information to influence the outcome.

4) Can the question be definitively answered?

Yes, it can. It has been. Chad did a great job. The OP (me) assisted with a slight edit. The answer has upvotes and is the 'accepted answer.'

5) The OP already has opinion on what the answer should be?

The OP (me) is seeking and has accepted a viable answer.

The OP may have opinions as to what the answer should be from a 'good policy' perspective, but the two are mutually exclusive, and it is irrelevant whether or not a person asking a question has an opinion - people have opinions about pretty much everything.

6) Gripes

There are no gripes in the question.

Let's avoid 'gripes' and making things personal on SE and stick questions and answers.

7) Debates and Opinions

A question on policy can be answered definitively.

The merits of that policy can also be debated and opinions expressed.

SE provides a venue for definitive answers.

The forums provide for debate and opinions.

As the OP, you will see in the comments that when the answers began to turn to debate, a link was provided to continue the debate on the forum as to preserve the integrity of Question/Answer format of SE.


Moderators - thank you kindly for your attention to my question - and also to all who commented and provided their view points.

I respectfully await your decision.

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  • I will try to address your questions on meta. I think the community should have the call on what is a good question or not, not the moderators. Right now the opinions are quite divided, there are only a couple of votes, it's really hard to say what the "community" wants. The question is -5 downvoted and since it has an accepted answer, I would leave it as is. For next JED related questions it's probably best to let the community give cast "close" / "reopen" votes. Please try not to take in a personal way, just because you are the OP. May 11, 2014 at 8:48
  • @ Valentin - It's not personal. Let's just be careful that this is not undue censorship creeping into SE.
    – NivF007
    May 11, 2014 at 11:58
  • My Meta question (following the 7 Essential Meta questions example) was triggered by Niv's question, but was never intended to be specific to his question only, but to be broader. David linked to it as an example. I mentioned a few types of JED-related posts (including gripes) that I consider off-topic. On JED rules and policy people could express opinions, but the JED team decides how rules are applied. I don't see SE as a JED policy discussion forum. In the example question, "subverts" is likely to trigger emotions and debate. Censorship is not same as not allowing off-topic posts.
    – JacquesR
    May 11, 2014 at 17:55
  • @JacquesR - maybe it's better to take the question down on the basis that 'policy questions altogether' should not be asked and also we are now detracting from an otherwise beautifully running SE site. Both Michael's answer and Chad's help me find the answer I was looking for. As for the verbage 'subverts,' 'workarounds' even 'unethical practice' is used in numerous authoritative articles. If you look in the 'forum discussions,' I am not 'against' these practices - just wondering if this is 'accepted practice' on the JED. I am a client, btw of both Akeeba and Dr. Drover and recommend both.
    – NivF007
    May 11, 2014 at 20:09
  • @JacquesR, the moderators and everybody else. I am agreeable to 'policy questions' being off topic, but questions about the JED, I feel have a place on SE. Is this a reasonable compromise? - if it is - then let's delete the question as 'off-topic' on the basis that 'questions about policy' are not permitted - and we can hold that standard - but even then consider that people may have questions about policy.
    – NivF007
    May 11, 2014 at 20:12

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