# The end of pling – resurrection of opendesktop?
**URL:** https://forum.opendesktop.org/t/the-end-of-pling-resurrection-of-opendesktop/21270
**Category:** Pling.com - Libre Publishing
**Created:** [April 13, 2026, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.opendesktop.org/t/the-end-of-pling-resurrection-of-opendesktop/21270 "2026-04-13T19:03:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@unknown-spirit](https://forum.opendesktop.org/u/unknown-spirit)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2026, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.opendesktop.org/t/the-end-of-pling-resurrection-of-opendesktop/21270/1 "2026-04-13T19:03:45Z")
Dear opendesktop-Team,
In [A Message to Our Users and Creators | Opendesktop.org](https://blog.opendesktop.org/a-message-to-our-users-and-creators/) you wrote about pling:
> This change affects only the payout system. Pling will continue to operate and develop the platform and its services
Still, the site [www.pling.com](http://www.pling.com) is obviously entirely gone, and I’ve got to say I am a bit surprised about it. I admit never having really understood the need for and the [idea](https://blog.opendesktop.org/pling-com/) behind this site, but I guess that’s just my own lack of comprehension.
Well, I could just move on, but then again, I am just too curious. Moreover, being a member for already 15 years, I gotta say I care about the whole project – at least I care about transparency. So may I ask a few questions:
- Do the so called “planet linuxing groups” still exist, and if so, could you explain what they are?
- Will all the links stay valid by being redirected or do I need to update them in my product descriptions?
- Now that the “plinging system” is down, [the old selection criteria](https://forum.opendesktop.org/t/in-the-spotlight-what-are-the-key-display-criteria/20681) for the spotlight seem to be outdated. What is the future solution for this problem?
Thanks in advance for your replies
---
### Author:  [@dschinn-de](https://forum.opendesktop.org/u/dschinn-de)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2026, 9:58am UTC](https://forum.opendesktop.org/t/the-end-of-pling-resurrection-of-opendesktop/21270/2 "2026-04-14T09:58:42Z")
Thanks for your questions, and thanks for being part of the community for 15 years – that really means a lot to us.
**“Planet Linux’ing Groups”**
That was simply the tagline displayed in the footer of [pling.com](http://pling.com), describing what the site stood for – a home for the broader community of people creating and sharing libre content. It wasn’t a separate feature or program.
**What was [pling.com](http://pling.com)?**
As a quick recap for all: [pling.com](http://pling.com) was introduced in 2019 as an umbrella overview site expanding beyond the Linux desktop focus of [opendesktop.org](http://opendesktop.org) – covering libre content like Artwork, Cliparts, Phone content, and Multimedia released under Copyleft or CC licenses.
Some of the individual topic-specific sites ([kde-look.org](http://kde-look.org), [gnome-look.org](http://gnome-look.org), etc.) continue to exist as before. Others continue to exist as a subdirectory (e.g., /s/cinnamon) of opendesktop.
**Links to [pling.com](http://pling.com)**
All existing [pling.com](http://pling.com) links will continue to work via redirects for the foreseeable future. There are no plans to discontinue them, so you don’t need to update anything in your product descriptions.
**The “plinging” system and Spotlight**
You’re right that the old selection criteria are no longer in place. We are currently working on a new algorithm for the Spotlight section. The goal is to surface high-quality products that deserve more visibility but haven’t yet reached a wide audience – “hidden gems” rather than already-popular content. The new approach will factor in download momentum, rating signals, and a rotation mechanism to ensure variety. No timeline to share yet, but it’s actively in progress.
Thanks again for the thoughtful questions – this kind of engagement is what keeps the community alive.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.opendesktop.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2026, 4:33pm UTC](https://forum.opendesktop.org/t/the-end-of-pling-resurrection-of-opendesktop/21270/3 "2026-04-16T16:33:28Z")
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