Discussion - default Theme

[Bigguy]

I have been a part of this site for a long time. Ever since I joined I think there has been a rule in this board. No SMF sites can be posted here unless they have a custom theme. (custom meaning no trace of the default theme, or very little) While I do understand this, I don't agree with it. It was more understandable back in the day when SMF was a child just growing up. The theme back then while up to date for its time, was lacking something.

It is very nice and always pleasing to see a great custom theme on an SMF site. Something someone has installed on their board that they feel proud of. It makes their site look good it promotes the theme author and everyone wins. I don't disagree with this at all. I think theme authors should get recognition for their work and it should be promoted. It drives more people to download those themes and make their sites look good.

What I would like to see is customization's of the default theme be allowed. I think, personally this helps promote brand new theme authors get started and gets more people involved in editing code and getting used to the theme system in SMF. This, I think is a great move. It gives people ideas and a place to start. More people would submit their sites and therefore more sites would be available to get inspiration and motivation from.

In short I guess, I think SMF is big enough now were maybe it should be taken into consideration by the powers that be that default themes that have been edited to the extent they could be called custom be allowed here. It's just my opinion and I hope it made sense and didn't piss anyone off.

Remember it is just a discussion. I am not trying to start anything.

[Illori]

this has been discussed recently. take a look here https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=559055.0

[Bigguy]

And as this says the team is not even open to discussing it, thanks for your time.

if you are trying to convince us to approve the use of the default theme in showcase no matter which version of SMF is being used, that will not happen.

The other comments in that thread suggest this is discussed a lot in the team boards but it is not. That's to bad. A lot of people do good things with the default theme. Ok this can be closed now I guess. No sense beating a dead horse.

[Illori]

The other comments in that thread suggest this is discussed a lot in the team boards but it is not

you are not currently on the team, how do you if this has been discussed or not?

[Bigguy]

I was on the team for a good long time. I know that the whole time I was on the team it may have been discussed once...maybe twice. I'm not trying to start a fight I actually really wanted a discussion on this. I started it in the showcase board cause I knew it was moderated and the team would see it quicker. Instead of a discussion though were everyone gets a say all I get is Its not going to happen. brb gotta drive the wife to work.

[Irisado]

The matter of the default theme and the Showcase board was last discussed by the Team in February of this year, so it would not be correct to conclude that it has not been discussed recently.

[Bigguy]

I don't think I said recently. I said it was not discussed a lot. If a real discussion is to take place should it not include the people that use the software and not just the people that run the site. ??

[Kindred]

nope...   this is the support site for the software. As such it is run by the team/company that makes the software.
While some things might be put to the community for input, the team/committee/board make the decisions on what should have input and what is just decided.

And, as evidenced, we do accept requests to review prior decisions...   doesn't mean that the decision is going to be reversed (as is the case here)

The point of the showcase board is not to get free advertising for your site (although that might be a side effect) but to demonstrate how SMF can be modified...   and using the default theme, even with a ton of mods, is not sufficient in our opinion.

[Irisado]

True.  The point I wanted to emphasise though was that given it had been discussed so recently, it's very unlikely that anyone's opinion is going to have changed in such a short space of time, hence a shift in policy is very improbable.

If a real discussion is to take place should it not include the people that use the software and not just the people that run the site. ??

Team members do use the software.  It's also important to point out that the site is run by a few specific individuals/sub teams, not the SMF Team as a whole (which I am sure you are aware of, but I'm making the point for the benefit of those reading this topic who may not be).  What you are thinking of, I believe, is the policy of the forum and individual boards within it.  Policy has always been decided by the Team and, in this instance, because it is purely an issue of showcasing, rather that actual software functionality and usability, my personal view is that there is no need for this to change.  In addition, based on the recent discussion on this matter, I doubt that there is going to be a change of policy.

[Bigguy]

using the default theme, even with a ton of mods, is not sufficient in our opinion.

Thanks for your post. I'm not talking mods. I mean it's great to have them and that they modify SMF but I mean just pure template and css edits. Something that makes the default not even look like the default....sort of, but still is.

my personal view is that there is no need for this to change.  In addition, based on the recent discussion on this matter, I doubt that there is going to be a change of policy.

Probably not. I hope though that the more people that speak out and bring this to the teams attention that maybe one of these days it will happen. It is good for everyone all around. It's a good way for non-coders to get their feet wet and learn, it makes this site busier which I'm sure at times would be a good thing. It makes the members feel good about themselves and it promotes way more SMF sites. Advertising aside, I think it would be good to see more SMF sites. It's starts the creative juices flowing. Thanks for posting.

[Steve]

using the default theme, even with a ton of mods, is not sufficient in our opinion.

Thanks for your post. I'm not talking mods. I mean it's great to have them and that they modify SMF but I mean just pure template and css edits. Something that makes the default not even look like the default....sort of, but still is.

The problem with that Bg is that the criteria now becomes subjective. I'll look at a site with default theme changes and think that there's not enough there to warrant approving the thread yet another team member may think differently. As it is right now, it's cut and dry ... if a thread is started showing us a site with the default theme, no matter how much it's modified, it won't be approved. It takes personal opinions out of the equation.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree with you, I'm just putting it out there that this is one of the reasons it is the way it is.

[Bigguy]

That's a good point. There would have to be guidelines of course for it to work right. I'm not sure what that would be off the top of my head though. Its good it takes the personal opinions out of it the way it is now. It should not be that hard really to remove yourself from the task of approving a thread though if the proper guidelines for it were in place.