Best practices for updating abandoned addons?

[Tazmyr]

I'm an addon author, and have been asked by a guildie to make updates to an addon that appears to have been abandoned. I'm awaiting a response from the author, but in case I don't hear back, what are the rules and best practices for handling this?

FWIW, the author has no license file or text accompanying his addon, so we're working from whatever is the default license stance.

Is there a way to "assume" an abandoned addon, or should we re-publish under a different addon name as I've seen done with others? (Maintaining original author attribution of course)

TIA for your wisdom.

Taz

[KLISK]

Never went into details, but from what I saw. Publish the addon under "original title" + "update" for example. At least, so as not to devalue the author's work, indicate the relevant data. Even if the author shows up and demands to delete it, this can be done.

[Baertram]

This has all been answered in the sticky posts at the forums (addon search, addon help, etc.) top, you just have to read them please!
Look at the forum's top "pinned" (sticky) threads:


From that thread, below the headline "If you want to take-over an abandoned addon/Before creating a patch/copy of an addon"
https://www.esoui.com/forums/showthr...4591#post44591

If you got any more questions after reading this feel free to place them here and I'll gladly assist you.



In short:
-Wait for answer of addon author
-If no answer try to take over original addon (if licensing does not disallow) so users do not have to install new but just update
-> We can add you to the team e.g. so if author returns you both can update
-If that is not what you want and addos allow patches at "Other files" tab, use that to add a patch there so it is connected and name that patch basically the same as the addon name + "Updated" or "Fixed Blackwood" or "Fixed Update43" so it's clear for what and when it was fixed
-If no patches allowed then maybe release it new with the same naming info but using the original addon is prefered so there are not 10000 copies and similar names that make the users go "whaaaat? Which one do I need to use?" and do not rename the addon's global variables so that other depending addons automatically benefit from your fixes too.