Blog
WOT demos at Add-on-Con 09
Tue 15 Dec 2009 12:27:30 PM UTC — Deborah S.
The last day of our whirlwind trip to Silicon Valley ended on a high note at Add-on-Con 09. This conference, designed specifically for people who build and market browser add-ons, was appropriately held at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View.
It was interesting to listen to panels from Google, Mozilla, Yahoo, Opera and some leading add-on companies discussing the future of add-ons. The question de jour was "Do add-ons need a market place?," and Mozilla surprised the audience by announcing that they will "probably" open a marketplace for Firefox add-ons sometime next year. Justin Scott, Mozilla's add-on ninja, didn't add any details, but he requested that Mozilla users give them some feedback on the idea.
On the developer side, Google demoed their extension development interface and Mozilla talked about the future of Mozilla Lab's Jetpack and Firefox Mobile.
A no-show from the sick Internet Explorer representative gave WOT an unexpected opportunity to demo. I had 5 minutes to show n' tell Web of Trust to a room full of other add-on developers and marketers. After the demos were over, several people from well-known companies introduced themselves. Maybe we can get something going with them...more on that later.
So now we are back home at WOT HQ, recovering from jet lag and excitedly plastering our laptops with the stickers we got from everyone. A big thanks to Mozilla, Internet Explorer 8, Google Chrome and OneRiot for a great day. We look forward to Add-on-Con 2010.
Marketplace?
That is what happens when browsers are free.
Re: Marketplace?
It's what happens when browsers become a viable platform for developing complex software and developers realize they can't afford to work for free. They have to find a way to earn a living from their add-ons or move to something else that actually pays the bills. A working marketplace is one of the reasons there are so many iPhone apps. Apple's approach may have flaws, but at least they have created an environment where developers have an incentive to develop more cool software for the platform.
Re: Marketplace?
Problem is WOT is hardly a patented idea. Security firms like McAfee have already introduced browser safety add-ons for their internet users,
I'm also still disturbed by how easily ratings are manipulated, having come across many sites which I know to be fine but disliked by certain groups, that have been rated totally "unsafe". I don't think any leading browser developers would wish to auto-place WOT in their software just yet.
In short, I think you'd be hard pressed to make money off it.
Re: Marketplace?
Problem is WOT is hardly a patented idea
Huh, what does that have to do with Mozilla's possible marketplace experiment? Our add-on will remain free anyway.
I'm also still disturbed by how easily ratings are manipulated
The reputation isn't only about security, it tells you how much people trust a website. If there's a large group of people who find a site untrustworthy, are they manipulating the reputation if you don't happen to agree with them?
Re: Marketplace?
It's manipulated if a specific group decides to downvote a site on mere intent to kill off popularity and drive away potential new users alone, with no more motivation for doing so than simple malicious dislike for the the staff/users.
Re: Marketplace?
So, where do you see that happening?
Re: Marketplace?
pushthenet.com would be an example that springs to mind. Having done some research I find the admin is hated across the various (volatile at the best of times) imageboard communities for previous incidents unrelated to the site itself
Ref
encyclopedia dramatica (http://encyclopediadramatica.com/IMG!)
Patrioitic Nigras(http://wiki.patrioticnigras.org/wiki/Tahko )
partyvan.info (1)
Thus I feel pushthenet.com has been unfairly flagged as unsafe when in fact there is nothing of concern with it.
Re: Marketplace?
Well, I don't see a large group of people rating the site and there's really no sign of the reputation being manipulated. It's more likely that some people just don't trust the site very much, which isn't that unusual when it comes to image boards. Of course, if you feel the current reputation doesn't reflect the majority opinion, you may want to start a thread about the site on the forum and request more ratings.
Re: Marketplace?
The only imageboard with solely red ratings is the one predominantly dedicated to worksafe imagery.
Re: Marketplace?
The only one, really? I took a short glance at the site and there certainly was NSFW content. Still, you may want to continue the discussion on the forum as I don't set the reputation and this seems hardly relevant to the blog posting.
Pay-For Add-Ons NO WAY!.
There will always be a free solution regardless so I hope developers think carefully before the start charging me for add-ons..
Peace
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Jared Gray
That shows everything
WOT poll from September
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Per aspera ad astra
LITTLE COMMENTS
a can not to comments becauce i a new .....not yet understand about principe work WOT....
no Add-ons
paying for Add-ons should be your last choice & i think there will be always a way , may be a hard way, but a cheaper way, this will be decided by the web designers
webdesign
Would take a mass movement by all add on developers
If an add on became retail (i.e. you had to pay for it), I expect most users would look for a similar add on that was free before paying for one (plus, FBIG's comments in the poll thread are pertinent here too).
Consequently, it would take ALL add ons to require payment before payment MIGHT be successful for any single one. As long as there are free alternatives out there, I don't think charging for an add on will go anywhere.