What's the deal with the Flippity Add-on?

tl;dr Version

• There was a Flippity Add-on that could be installed in Google Sheets which would speed up the process of creating and publishing Flippity templates. It is no longer supported because it was too much work keeping it running properly and listed on the Google Marketplace.
• The Add-on is not necessary to use Flippity. All templates are available for download at Flippity.net.

Long Version

• The Flippity website launched in 2013. At the time I did not intend to build any add-ons, extensions, or apps for it. In 2016 I was contacted by a developer who was interested in creating an add-on that would make it easier to use Flippity. Initially I was skeptical as I didn't want to be dependent on someone else and I was leery of sharing the Flippity name. However, he created an Add-on that was simply too good to pass up; he didn't ask anything in return; and he made it very easy for me to make changes. So we launched the Flippity Add-on and I promoted its use on the Flippity website. Then three things happened:
  1. People began to think the Flippity Add-on was the only was a person could use Flippity and didn't understand it was just a shortcut. I ended up providing a lot of support for confused (and sometimes angry) people who had created templates then removed the add-on, or had shared spreadsheets with colleagues or students who didn't have the add-on, or whose districts wouldn't allow them to install the add-on, etc., etc.
  2. Google kept making changes to how Add-ons worked and were distributed. There would be random warnings, ominous requests for authorizations, and/or it would disappear entirely. It became more and more work to keep the Add-on running properly.
  3. The person who developed the Flippity Add-on moved to a new position and no longer had time to support it and keep it verified and listed in the Google Marketplace.
• Since I can't guarantee the Flippity Add-on is functional or available I've decided to drop it and focus my efforts on making the Flippity website as easy to use as I can.