So you are learning PHP and have some cool scripts you would like to show off to the world on some of your blogs, should you?This advice is geared towards the average joe coder and not some uber "my middle name is PHP" geek. I'm that average joe and after a few years of publicly posting code here's my opinion:
You should post code publicly when it's something that you use regularly in your work.
Doing this is like having dozens or hundreds of beta testers for your code.
Not only do they tell you when something is wrong, they'll alert you to api updates, streamline your code, and more.
You should not post code publicly when it's something that you will probably never use again.
It is quite a headache getting emails for support on a script you wrote over a year ago. You could ignore those emails but if your reputation is tied to the script that is not a good idea.
If the script is something you never use but was cool at the time you probably would have been better off to keep it to yourself. Trust me. The support requests (or general questions) for various scripts you've created over a few years can really add up.
When You Should And Shouldn't Post Code Publicly?
If you use the script regularly go ahead and post it! Not only do you have a vested interest in keeping the script up to date you'll love the feedback you get from people who see the script.
If the script is a one off thing that is cool at the moment, maybe keep it to yourself.
Sound good to you?
Jason Berlinsky says on November 9, 2007
Although you make a good point, you assume that your audience isn't selling the script in question. I am selling the Instant Backlink Scraper (http://www.instantbacklinkscraper.com/), and although I still deal with overwhelming support questions, I suck it up :P
When you think about it, would you rather make nothing and work a little, or make nothing and still work a little on moderation of comments on the script and moderating the people that say "this blows"
Jason
45n5 (946) says on November 9, 2007:
@jason - "although I still deal with overwhelming support questions, I suck it up :P"I don't like the support questions and I think that's where we have a different perspective.
