Plugins auto updating going too far?

At first, I didn't mind that some of the plugins I used would auto update. Sure some plugins would install missing files when first installed, sometimes download missing parts or side plugins. All of which have been mentioned in the forum from which downloaded.

Now what's stopping authors making a major change in that auto update feature? Let's say they download and install files not mentioned. LWC, for an example only, I have not bothered to check it's thread in weeks, if not a couple months. What stops the author to make a change to his plugin to require another plugin. Sure, some plugins does this. What if that new plugin makes a conflict with another plugin in the server and causes issues?

Where am I going with this?

I run a 10 slot server, 1GB, 53 plugins. Very stable, no lag. I was gone for a week, no way of knowing how the server was going, yes, visiting family where I barely got cell signal. It was nice to relax before college.

I returned to have a very large server log with looping errors. I thought someone glitched something. No. Two new plugins were downloaded to my server. One of which doesn't work with another plugin I've been using. By which, until I can find which plugin it is, I can't run it.

I've been skeptical about letting plugins auto update or download files. I let it be, didn't bother to go in and disable the feature. As far as I recall from reading the threads before installing them. Once week I'd check to see if any updates were made.

Right now, I don't have time to sit and slowly add one plugin at a time. College for me is just about to start and work is starting to kick it up a gear. Don't even get me started on the family drama I've been having to put up for the last 3-6 months...

Anyways, away from the ranting, My suggestion is if the author makes large changes to their auto update plugins, their plugins should not update, but send a notice to members that are in a set group, like Admin, when the 'Admin' logs into the server. If anything, the plugin can ask the admin yes or no via command use.
If anything, have the auto update completely disabled by default.

My problem was Spout being downloaded while I was using BukkitContrib. In the last month alone, only BananaLogArchiver, Tombstone, WorldBorder, PistonChest, BlastControl, MineBackup, BigBrother, StyxSpace, Dynmap, LWC, NarrowtuxLib, and Spout; oldest to newest. Spout and Narrow keep being installed.

I'm still doing some checking. I know LWC isn't the cause so far.

Full plugin list:

Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler

BananaLogArchiver0.1


BedHome0.1


BigBrother1.10.1-SNAPSHOT


BlastControl1.0.6


ChairCraft1.2.4


CommandBook1.5.1-customized


CommandSigns0.9


DropChest0.7.9


dynmap0.20


Growbie2.4


iChat2.3.1


iConomy5.0


iConomyChestShop2.74


Inception0.9delta


IOBookcase1.32


Jail1.2.1


Lampstone0.6


LWC2.31


milkAdmin1.0-05.14


MineBackup0.4.4


MinecartManiaAutomations1.2.3


MinecartManiaCore1.2.8


MinecartManiaSignCommands1.2.8


MinequeryPlus0.3.3


MobBounty4.05


MobileAdmin3.0


MonsterTriggers0.4


MuddersMilk1.4


MultiVerse1.7.2


NarrowtuxLib0.5.1


NaturalGiants1.3


obuShutTheHellUp0.2


OddItem0.6.5


OpenInv1.3.1


PerformanceTweaks0.08


Permissions3.1.5


PistonChest0.4.2


PlgLogCmd1.0


PvPToggle0.2.5


RemoteToolkitPlugin0.45b


rTriggers2.2


SimpleReserve0.2.6


SkylandsPlugin1.4


Spout1.0.1


StyxSpace1.0


TelePlusPlus1.3.4


Tombstone1.3.0


Turnstile1.8


VanishNoPickup1.7


WorldBorder1.2.3


WorldEdit4.6


WorldGuard5.1.1


xWarp2.12.0

I know some of these plugins may be out of date, I know a couple are no longer maintained. I've gone through some of the plugins and I still can't figure out what keeps downloading Spout and Narrowtux, it doesn't even say what plugin is downloading them.

EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.

 

while i do not use spout nor narrowtux, i found this in the narrowtux thread

and

hope this helps.