Hmm... run with that. :) Throw out some ideas...<div><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 10:27 AM, Doug Stewart <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:zamoose@gmail.com">zamoose@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">However, you'll note that Core recently started highlighting<br>
contributors in the Dashboard. Perhaps something along those lines...?<br>
<div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><br>
On Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 11:06 AM, Chip Bennett <<a href="mailto:chip@chipbennett.net">chip@chipbennett.net</a>> wrote:<br>
> Regarding the "badge" idea: I'm never one to prohibit something that my<br>
> provide incentive to others; that said: my general sense of the WordPress<br>
> project community/ecosystem is that the general philosophy/ethos is that<br>
> contributors contribute primarily for the inherent benefit of<br>
> contributing/giving back, rather than for any potential benefit in return.<br>
> That is to say: the WordPress "meritocracy" puts far more value in<br>
> contribution for its own sake than it does for contribution for the sake of<br>
> personal gain.<br>
><br>
> So, I don't think the idea of "badges" or gift cards/financial incentives<br>
> would gain much traction. (The latter would certainly have to come from a<br>
> third party, I'm quite sure.)<br>
><br>
> That said: the "patches welcome" mentality does provide a bit of<br>
> inspiration. Recently, someone created a Widget Plugin that allows users to<br>
> tout their most recent core patch commits:<br>
> <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-core-contributions-widget/" target="_blank">http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-core-contributions-widget/</a><br>
><br>
> I wonder if we couldn't pull similar data out of Trac, or out of the WPORG<br>
> user profile feed, to create a similar Widget for WPTRT contributions (i.e.<br>
> ticket closure count, or something?)<br>
><br>
> Chip<br>
><br>
><br>
> On Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 9:41 AM, Edward Caissie <<a href="mailto:edward.caissie@gmail.com">edward.caissie@gmail.com</a>><br>
> wrote:<br>
>><br>
>> An incentive idea would likely help to some degree, but to be quite honest<br>
>> a badge system needs to be policed ... as it has been noted there are many<br>
>> places you can find themes with "bad" code (base64, SEO spam, etc.) what<br>
>> would stop theme authors such as these from simply copying the badge image<br>
>> and posting it on their site?<br>
>><br>
>> Personally I take very little stock in "badges" as they are simply much<br>
>> too easy to forge ... and since it is a perception idea being brought<br>
>> forward it would be ripe for these forgeries.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> Cais.<br>
>><br>
>> PS: You might note I am in a "devil's advocate" kind of mood today.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> On Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 9:41 AM, Rankin, Matthew W. (Student)<br>
>> <<a href="mailto:mrankin@my.ccsu.edu">mrankin@my.ccsu.edu</a>> wrote:<br>
>>><br>
>>> There are many people ( myself included ) who review themes just for the<br>
>>> satisfaction of helping out WordPress. However, there are many people out<br>
>>> there who need a little more than that to review themes. Even just a thank<br>
>>> you and a WordPress badge to post up on their site would go a long way in<br>
>>> attracting more theme reviewers and getting more production out of less<br>
>>> active reviewers. The idea is fairly straight forward and easy to implement,<br>
>>> and has a proven record of success as you can see by looking at many other<br>
>>> websites around the web who use similar ideas.<br>
>>> ________________________________________<br>
>>> From: <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> [<a href="mailto:theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org</a>] on behalf of Simon Prosser<br>
>>> [<a href="mailto:pross@pross.org.uk">pross@pross.org.uk</a>]<br>
>>> Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 9:09 AM<br>
>>> To: <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> Subject: Re: [theme-reviewers] splitting reviewers between queues<br>
>>><br>
>>> What incentives? <a href="http://wordpress.org" target="_blank">wordpress.org</a> is a free organization and the theme<br>
>>> team volunteer the time to review themes in their spare time.<br>
>>> They all have regular jobs and lives as well.<br>
>>><br>
>>> On 27 January 2012 13:41, Chandra Maharzan <<a href="mailto:maharzan@gmail.com">maharzan@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>>> > I haven't reviewed any themes but I do think this volunteer thing<br>
>>> > might need to go at some point. Have a dedicated team who reviews<br>
>>> > themes and they get incentives on each theme or something. Otherwise<br>
>>> > like a person said above, people are discouraged. I was when I<br>
>>> > submitted a theme about a year ago and it was reviewed in a long time<br>
>>> > and the same thing is happening now. And I have 2 themes in the repo,<br>
>>> > pretty popular ones. I am sure many designers feel like me.<br>
>>> ><br>
>>> > On Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 2:59 PM, Phenomenoodle | Taryn Wallis<br>
>>> > <<a href="mailto:taryn@phenomenoodle.com">taryn@phenomenoodle.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>>> >> Up until about 5 years ago (when I transitioned into web design<br>
>>> >> full-time) I<br>
>>> >> was an Organizational Psychologist - things like badges work well as a<br>
>>> >> motivational tool for some types of people, and absolutely not for<br>
>>> >> others.<br>
>>> >> I'm one of the others :)<br>
>>> >><br>
>>> >> If there was a badge, I might consider putting it on my site, but it<br>
>>> >> would<br>
>>> >> have zero impact from an incentive point of view. I'm far more<br>
>>> >> internally<br>
>>> >> motivated, so external things like badges (or certificates etc) have<br>
>>> >> no real<br>
>>> >> meaning to me. In terms of theme reviews, I contribute because it<br>
>>> >> allows me<br>
>>> >> to give back to the community and to also learn from the experience -<br>
>>> >> if I'm<br>
>>> >> not able to do reviews, it's not because of lack of motivation, but<br>
>>> >> simply a<br>
>>> >> lack of time :(<br>
>>> >><br>
>>> >> ______________________________<br>
>>> >> Taryn Wallis<br>
>>> >> Phenomenoodle<br>
>>> >> WordPress design & development<br>
>>> >> <a href="http://www.phenomenoodle.com" target="_blank">www.phenomenoodle.com</a><br>
>>> >><br>
>>> >><br>
>>> >> On Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 8:36 AM, Netzberufler<br>
>>> >> <<a href="mailto:netzberufler@googlemail.com">netzberufler@googlemail.com</a>><br>
>>> >> wrote:<br>
>>> >>><br>
>>> >>> I find Badges are a great idea. They should also be included into the<br>
>>> >>> WordPress Profile Pages. <a href="http://profiles.wordpress.org/users/" target="_blank">http://profiles.wordpress.org/users/</a> or<br>
>>> >>> <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/profile/" target="_blank">http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/profile/</a> . BTW why are there<br>
>>> >>> different<br>
>>> >>> profile pages on <a href="http://wordpress.org" target="_blank">wordpress.org</a>?<br>
>>> >>><br>
>>> >>> I currently don't review themes cause of my exams but I will begin<br>
>>> >>> reviewing again in 2 weeks ;)<br>
>>> >>><br>
>>> >>> 2012/1/26 Rankin, Matthew W. (Student) <<a href="mailto:mrankin@my.ccsu.edu">mrankin@my.ccsu.edu</a>><br>
>>> >>><br>
>>> >>>> Not directly related to this email thread but seems like a good<br>
>>> >>>> place to<br>
>>> >>>> post it. I was thinking about why there aren't more volunteer<br>
>>> >>>> reviewers and<br>
>>> >>>> why many are slow to review themes. I think it may be because it<br>
>>> >>>> lacks<br>
>>> >>>> incentive. So, I had an idea which may attract more reviewers and<br>
>>> >>>> increase<br>
>>> >>>> productivity among current reviewers. My idea is to create a<br>
>>> >>>> WordPress<br>
>>> >>>> badge. Theme reviewers can post this badge on their own websites to<br>
>>> >>>> say that<br>
>>> >>>> they contribute to WordPress. You could even create different levels<br>
>>> >>>> of<br>
>>> >>>> badges so as you review more themes you get higher level badges.<br>
>>> >>>> It's a<br>
>>> >>>> simple idea which has proven effective on many websites around the<br>
>>> >>>> web. What<br>
>>> >>>> does everyone else think of this idea?<br>
>>> >>>> ________________________________<br>
>>> >>>> From: <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> >>>> [<a href="mailto:theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org</a>] on behalf of Rankin,<br>
>>> >>>> Matthew<br>
>>> >>>> W. (Student) [<a href="mailto:mrankin@my.ccsu.edu">mrankin@my.ccsu.edu</a>]<br>
>>> >>>> Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2012 12:49 PM<br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>>> To: <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> >>>> Subject: Re: [theme-reviewers] splitting reviewers between queues<br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>>> I'll do my best to follow your lead Chip. I've just been so busy<br>
>>> >>>> lately I<br>
>>> >>>> haven't had time to do many reviews. But I should be able to fit in<br>
>>> >>>> one<br>
>>> >>>> theme a day.<br>
>>> >>>> ________________________________<br>
>>> >>>> From: <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> >>>> [<a href="mailto:theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers-bounces@lists.wordpress.org</a>] on behalf of Chip<br>
>>> >>>> Bennett<br>
>>> >>>> [<a href="mailto:chip@chipbennett.net">chip@chipbennett.net</a>]<br>
>>> >>>> Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2012 12:31 PM<br>
>>> >>>> To: <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> >>>> Subject: Re: [theme-reviewers] splitting reviewers between queues<br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>>> I don't think a paradigm shift is necessary (or helpful) at this<br>
>>> >>>> point.<br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>>> The bottom line is: about 10 tickets per day are submitted. Thus, we<br>
>>> >>>> need<br>
>>> >>>> about 10 tickets per day reviewed and closed, in order to keep up<br>
>>> >>>> with the<br>
>>> >>>> submission rate. We are approaching 100 people who have reviewed<br>
>>> >>>> Themes. If<br>
>>> >>>> every person with ticket privileges reviewed two tickets, we would<br>
>>> >>>> exhaust<br>
>>> >>>> the current queue entirely.<br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>>> I've tried to push in the past to get reviewers to consider<br>
>>> >>>> committing to<br>
>>> >>>> a certain minimum level of participation, but as you've noted: it's<br>
>>> >>>> not<br>
>>> >>>> practical. We ARE all volunteers, and all have extremely busy<br>
>>> >>>> schedules. (I<br>
>>> >>>> last saw a "40-hour work week" sometime last summer.) Efforts to get<br>
>>> >>>> such<br>
>>> >>>> commitments inevitably have the opposite effect, as IMX they have<br>
>>> >>>> only<br>
>>> >>>> driven volunteers AWAY from contributing their time.<br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>>> That said: I'll do my best to lead by example. I will commit to<br>
>>> >>>> reviewing<br>
>>> >>>> one Theme per day, every day.<br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>>> Chip<br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>>> On Thu, Jan 26, 2012 at 11:07 AM, Edward Caissie<br>
>>> >>>> <<a href="mailto:edward.caissie@gmail.com">edward.caissie@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>>> >>>>><br>
>>> >>>>> Although it shouldn't need to be written, but once again it appears<br>
>>> >>>>> a<br>
>>> >>>>> reminder appears to be needed ...<br>
>>> >>>>><br>
>>> >>>>> To the best of my knowledge, every member of the current Theme<br>
>>> >>>>> Review<br>
>>> >>>>> Team is a volunteer. Every member also has a "full work load" with<br>
>>> >>>>> many<br>
>>> >>>>> simply unable to devote any time to this volunteer activity during<br>
>>> >>>>> that<br>
>>> >>>>> scheduled time. Many of the volunteers have other additional<br>
>>> >>>>> WordPress<br>
>>> >>>>> related activities that add to their typical "40-hour week" work<br>
>>> >>>>> load. We<br>
>>> >>>>> all have lives, too ... so, quite simply, we give what time we can<br>
>>> >>>>> and look<br>
>>> >>>>> to the community to contribute some of their time. Wait times, as<br>
>>> >>>>> noted many<br>
>>> >>>>> times, are inversely proportional to the amount of volunteer<br>
>>> >>>>> reviewers<br>
>>> >>>>> available to do the work.<br>
>>> >>>>><br>
>>> >>>>> We can appreciate the wait time is long and frustrating. This is<br>
>>> >>>>> not the<br>
>>> >>>>> only time this topic has been discussed, these are not the only<br>
>>> >>>>> ideas that<br>
>>> >>>>> have been considered. Unfortunately until their is perhaps a<br>
>>> >>>>> paradigm shift<br>
>>> >>>>> in regards to the WPTRT we may simply be forced to continue to<br>
>>> >>>>> endure and<br>
>>> >>>>> forge ahead under these conditions.<br>
>>> >>>>><br>
>>> >>>>><br>
>>> >>>>> Cais.<br>
>>> >>>>><br>
>>> >>>>><br>
>>> >>>>> On Thu, Jan 26, 2012 at 11:48 AM, Bruce Wampler<br>
>>> >>>>> <<a href="mailto:weavertheme@gmail.com">weavertheme@gmail.com</a>><br>
>>> >>>>> wrote:<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> I would like to add my perspective on the review process.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> I have been submitting one theme - with revisions and slight name<br>
>>> >>>>>> modifications - for almost two years now - starting with 2010<br>
>>> >>>>>> Weaver,<br>
>>> >>>>>> changed to simply Weaver, and now Weaver II.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> Because Weaver II is a name change, and represents a total rewrite<br>
>>> >>>>>> of<br>
>>> >>>>>> Weaver, it has been in the Priority Queue for almost 3 months now.<br>
>>> >>>>>> I've just<br>
>>> >>>>>> been sitting here waiting my turn.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> But seriously - three months for new themes? The past week, the<br>
>>> >>>>>> review<br>
>>> >>>>>> rate has been only one new theme reviewed.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> It is important to keep existing themes up to date - but to<br>
>>> >>>>>> essentially<br>
>>> >>>>>> have the new theme approval rate one a week will do nothing to<br>
>>> >>>>>> encourage<br>
>>> >>>>>> authors to submit new themes.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> I had good reasons to change from Weaver to Weaver II, and perhaps<br>
>>> >>>>>> should have requested it be treated as a revision of the existing<br>
>>> >>>>>> approved<br>
>>> >>>>>> theme. But I don know if I knew three months ago, that I likely<br>
>>> >>>>>> would have<br>
>>> >>>>>> done things differently, including the possibility of simply<br>
>>> >>>>>> abandoning the<br>
>>> >>>>>> WP theme repository.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> But Weaver II represents a cutting edge theme/framework that has<br>
>>> >>>>>> (or<br>
>>> >>>>>> had three months ago) really new features, including what I think<br>
>>> >>>>>> is likely<br>
>>> >>>>>> the best mobile support of any WP theme. It is really frustrating<br>
>>> >>>>>> to see it<br>
>>> >>>>>> languish in the queue.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> I just think a almost three month wait is excessive, and will<br>
>>> >>>>>> seriously<br>
>>> >>>>>> discourage developers from developing and submitting new themes.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> The discussion of new 3.4 features seems almost silly since if the<br>
>>> >>>>>> new<br>
>>> >>>>>> queue theme stays at several months, it is likely that there won't<br>
>>> >>>>>> be any<br>
>>> >>>>>> new themes.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> I believe is really important to keep fresh, new themes with<br>
>>> >>>>>> cutting<br>
>>> >>>>>> edge features coming in for the future health of WordPress.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> Just some thoughts. I believe something needs to be done. I'd<br>
>>> >>>>>> volunteer<br>
>>> >>>>>> to review some themes, but I have serious ethical concerns about<br>
>>> >>>>>> that, as<br>
>>> >>>>>> well as a full work load supporting my theme which has become very<br>
>>> >>>>>> popular<br>
>>> >>>>>> on its own while waiting on the queue.<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> Bruce Wampler<br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________<br>
>>> >>>>>> theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
>>> >>>>>> <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> >>>>>> <a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
>>> >>>>>><br>
>>> >>>>><br>
>>> >>>>><br>
>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________<br>
>>> >>>>> theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
>>> >>>>> <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> >>>>> <a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
>>> >>>>><br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>>> _______________________________________________<br>
>>> >>>> theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
>>> >>>> <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> >>>> <a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
>>> >>>><br>
>>> >>><br>
>>> >>><br>
>>> >>> _______________________________________________<br>
>>> >>> theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
>>> >>> <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> >>> <a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
>>> >>><br>
>>> >><br>
>>> >><br>
>>> >> _______________________________________________<br>
>>> >> theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
>>> >> <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> >> <a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
>>> >><br>
>>> ><br>
>>> ><br>
>>> ><br>
>>> > --<br>
>>> > cmans<br>
>>> > _______________________________________________<br>
>>> > theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
>>> > <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> > <a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> --<br>
>>> My Blog: <a href="http://pross.org.uk/" target="_blank">http://pross.org.uk/</a><br>
>>> Plugins : <a href="http://pross.org.uk/plugins/" target="_blank">http://pross.org.uk/plugins/</a><br>
>>> Themes: <a href="http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/profile/pross" target="_blank">http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/profile/pross</a><br>
>>> _______________________________________________<br>
>>> theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
>>> <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> <a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> _______________________________________________<br>
>>> theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
>>> <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>>> <a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> _______________________________________________<br>
>> theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
>> <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
>> <a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
>><br>
><br>
><br>
> _______________________________________________<br>
> theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
> <a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
> <a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
--<br>
</div></div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">-Doug<br>
</font></span><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5">_______________________________________________<br>
theme-reviewers mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org">theme-reviewers@lists.wordpress.org</a><br>
<a href="http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers" target="_blank">http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers</a><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br></div>