‘Preinstalled’ plugin label on hosted sites

AI-generated summary

Users JammyDodger and Moin discuss the UX of the ‘Preinstalled’ plugin label on Discourse-hosted sites. They argue that since all plugins on hosted plans are preinstalled by default — with no option to add or remove them without plan changes — the label is misleading or redundant in this context. JammyDodger suggests suppressing the label on hosted sites or replacing it with a plan-specific info label (e.g., ‘Included in your plan’). Both users also criticize the current link — which points to a meta topic about bundling popular plugins — as irrelevant to hosted customers, especially since it doesn’t mention older preinstalled plugins like Discobot. Moin includes a screenshot highlighting the confusing UI and echoes the concern that linking older plugins to a recent announcement is illogical. The feedback appears to be submitted as a gentle heads-up, acknowledging it may already be under consideration.

Having a browse of the updated /plugins page on a hosted site, it felt like the ‘Preinstalled’ label/link is a little misplaced in that particular scenario.

Conceptually, all plugins on a hosted plan are ‘Preinstalled’. They come with the plan and there’s no scope to add or remove any of them without upgrading/downgrading (barring Enterprise). I was thinking it may be better to suppress that label on hosted sites as it seems more relevant to self-hosters? Or perhaps have another info label instead (eg. The plan which the plugin is attached to)

Secondly, the ‘Preinstalled’ label is currently a link to the Bundling more popular plugins with Discourse core meta topic, which is not hugely relevant to hosted customers and even maybe a little confusing.

Thirdly, even the older bundled plugins (like Discobot) have the ‘Preinstalled’ label link, and that meta topic doesn’t really concern them.

I’m looking at a hosted site updated last Friday, so I maybe too late to the party and you’ve already got this covered, but I thought I’d raise it. :slight_smile:

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The new “Preinstalled” link feels a little strange on an instance hosted by Discourse. For me, all those plugins were preinstalled. I also don’t really understand why the preinstalled link for plugins that were preinstalled for years links to the recent announcement. I cannot find anything related to the Discobot plugin in that topic.

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