A user, csmu, requested a plugin to transcribe handwritten text from images in topics, using Google’s OCR API, with a budget of $400–$600 and an ASAP deadline. michaeld agreed to develop the plugin, confirming it would create a post with OCR results without replacing the original image, and proposed delivery within 1–2 weeks via PayPal. csmu accepted the terms. However, michaeld later revealed he had built the plugin and published it on GitHub, citing non-payment and lack of response from csmu over 14 days. He released it under an MIT license with a restriction preventing its use on forums csmu administers, which he said he would remove upon payment. sam urged escalation to team@discourse.org to address the situation, noting potential violations of community conduct.
What would you like done?
I would like a plugin that will create a post of text based on one image uploaded to a topic provided the category the topic is in has the option use the plugin ‘Convert first topic image into text’ Yes/No
See google ocr hand writing api at DuckDuckGo for details of the google api that could be used for this.
When do you need it done?
As soon as possible (ASAP)
What is your budget, in $ USD that you can offer for this task?
$400-$600 USD
Does the text need to replace the image? Or is it an additional post?
The original image(s) stay in the topic.
The OCR results are in a post after the topic with the images.
Ok. That should be doable within your budget. I would be able to deliver within 1-2 weeks. Would Paypal be ok?
Cool 
Excellent!
Yes thanks.
The plugin can be found here.
It’s open source now, since I built it and @csmu has been ignoring me (and my requests for payment) for 14 days now. I am not sure whether to attribute this to malice or to stupidity but fact is that he has been online and is not responding to PMs here and on his own forum and is not responding to emails either.
Note - License is MIT but with the restriction that it cannot be used on any forum csmu is admin on. I will remove that restriction if I receive payment for my work.
Anyway, plug in your GCP api key and configure the categories you want this plugin to look at. It will then OCR the first post of every new topic and make a second post with the results.
Please escalate this to team@discourse.org we will try to arbitrate.
We will certainly not allow users to participate on Marketplace or even meta if there is a clear offense.
cc @csmu
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