[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #28509: Allow themes specifically meant to be parent themes to prevent activation

[WordPress Trac]

#28509: Allow themes specifically meant to be parent themes to prevent activation
-------------------------+------------------------------
 Reporter:  nathanrice   |       Owner:
     Type:  enhancement  |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal       |   Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Themes       |     Version:  3.9.1
 Severity:  normal       |  Resolution:
 Keywords:               |     Focuses:
-------------------------+------------------------------

Comment (by nathanrice):

 >Why would such a parent theme not work when activated?

 Because it's '''not meant to be activated'''. It provides features that
 only work when a child theme supports them. It has minimal (if any) CSS,
 or CSS that styles particular features that are activated by a child
 theme. It's a parent theme that shouldn't be modified, and allowing it to
 be activated provides a de facto blessing on doing exactly that.

 >Sounds like a badly made theme to me. Parent themes aren't meant as
 "frameworks", they should be working themes.

 Yes, I understand you're not a fan. That doesn't, in the slightest, negate
 the reality of their existence and popularity. Notice the title isn't
 "Prevent all parent themes from being activated". It's an option for
 themes that meet this specific criteria.

 >Themes should work.

 Different themes work differently. It would be nice to recognize that not
 every theme is meant to be activated, and have a  mechanism in place to
 accommodate for that.

--
Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/28509#comment:7>
WordPress Trac <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/>
WordPress publishing platform