Thanks very much for this article. Agreed that screenshots and up-to-date changelogs are a must! So are detailed descriptions and FAQs. Plugin developers should be doing everything possible to communicate how their plugins work.

To me, the worst is coming across a description with some variation of, "If you want to know more about this plugin, install it and test it out for yourself." It's so insulting to be asked to waste my time because a plugin dev was too lazy to write a few paragraphs explaining the plugin. If a plugin author can't do that, it's hard to believe that the person a) fully understands their own plugin; b) cares enough to maintain/update it. Theoretically, the plugin author should be in the best position to describe the plugin, and the inability or unwillingness to do so reflects strongly on the quality of the plugin and the kind of support that can be expected.

It also conveys attitude towards free plugin users -- it seems to say, "I've already done all this work for you to use for free so I don't have to do anything else. If you want to use this, be my guest, but leave me alone." It doesn't exactly send the message that the plugin author cares to build relationships/business opportunities/etc.

I guess where I'm going with this is that when plugin authors omit things like screenshots, detailed changelogs, and accurate descriptions, they seem to be showing disdain to potential users. I'm sure some of them do it because they've seen it done elsewhere and think it's acceptable practice, or because they're burned out from all the hours they spent developing the plugin in the first place and don't have the energy left to explain what it does. Either way, the result is the same as if they truly were disdainful, and that's a shame.

Here's to hoping this article will have an impact :) Thanks again!