[theme-reviewers] advice needed

[Philip M. Hofer (Frumph)]

I'm still in the school of thought that a plugin enhances the functionality of a theme but doesn't make it a requirement to make the theme function.  On the other hand, post-type functionality can be better utilized in a plugin and the theme supports it, which totally makes sense.  And having distribution of those said themes on the repository makes the developer and it's users communicate better, faster, quicker.  

Those specialized themes that cater to a unique set of users are far and inbetween and there's always a way to make the functionality within a theme work without the plugin with fallback code.

So yeah, basically, themes on the repository should be general themes that work without and extended functionality is enhanced with the plugin but does not make the basics of the theme fail the theme review.

^ not sure if that makes sense, i'm pretty much saying no to plugin-dependancy, have the theme pass theme reviews and plugins enhance functionality, but not stop it.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Chip Bennett 
  To: Philip M. Hofer (Frumph) 
  Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 5:49 AM
  Subject: Re: [theme-reviewers] advice needed


  On Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 12:23 PM, Philip M. Hofer (Frumph) <philip at frumph.net> wrote:

    There are a couple wordpress themes that are plugin dependant, like Inkblot requires the WebComic plugin, my own ComicPress works without a plugin but is enhanced by comicpress manager plugin.

    If you don't want to install the plugin I can take over that ticket for you if you like.

    The ones I pass up personally are the buddypress ones, .. won't touch buddypress with a 10' pole.  I believe chris@ does those from what someone told me?

    - Phil

    ----- Original Message ----- From: "yulian yordanov" <yul.yordanov at gmail.com>
    To: <theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org>
    Sent: Monday, August 09, 2010 10:17 AM
    Subject: [theme-reviewers] advice needed




      Recently I picked the theme which is entirely dependent of an
      WordPress plug-in. Should I test/review the theme or set it directly
      as 'not-accepted' because of this plug-in's dependence.
      I know that child-themes are not accepted but this case is a bit different.

      Regards

      yulian yordanov <Fingli>


  We should probably add some official guidance in the checklist regarding plugin dependence. 


  My personal opinion is that plugin dependence is not preferred, but acceptable, provided that the theme degrades gracefully in the absence of the plugin on which it is dependent.


  Thoughts?


  Chip
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.wordpress.org/pipermail/theme-reviewers/attachments/20100810/95960903/attachment.htm>