If you use WordPress, you know you get a ton of new updates. We just had one recently and version 2.9 is slated to come out really soon. From WordPress’s blog, they have said most people don’t upgrade because they fear their plugins will quit working. I can absolutely understand that part. That’s why they added a new feature in the plugin directory so users can ‘vote’ on whether a plugin works on their version or not. I think that is OK and have since also checked my own plugin – List Authors Plus and updated it in the directory.

If there’s a plugin you like and there isn’t any feedback yet and still worried, here are my views on plugins and the latest versions.

They are usually OK if it’s a plugin that does something simple like something that allows you to add a tracking code or add code to your headers and footers. These plugins don’t hook too deeply into WordPress and don’t mess with the internals. If it were something more heavy that adds some major new features, then I’d start being more cautious. Remember, many plugins in the directory are created and distributed for free on the developers’ dime. So give them a little time. Some are quick about it, some are not. Usually, I would not install or use a plugin that looks dead like they haven’t been updated in about a year or more and there has only been one version with no updates from the time it was released.