[theme-reviewers] Theme Review Feedback at WPTavern Forum

[Chip Bennett]

On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 4:21 AM, Otto <otto at ottodestruct.com> wrote:
>
> I don't necessarily want to bring that discussion over here, but maybe
> it should be here.
>

I would suggest that this is the *best* place to have the discussion.

>
> Acting as a wall between theme developers and their users is not good
> for either side, and it is definitely not good for the community as a
> whole.
>
> We don't need high quality code or high quality themes.


Disagree, 100%. The Theme repository is linked directly into the back-end of
WordPress, and represents and reflects WordPress.

Also, poor code quality and failure to keep Themes from becoming obsolete
through function deprecation and failure to include new/improved core
functions and features is *bad* for end users.


> We
> *desperately* need high quality people who can help out these theme
> authors, and point out the problems and explain *why* things should be
> done a certain way. But if you keep summarily rejecting themes for
> frankly trivial reasons, then you just drive out theme developers and
> you never have a chance to help them improve anything.
>

Review a Theme or two, by the standards, and then let us know how the
experience was for you. The vast, vast majority of Themes are not failing
for "trivial reasons". Most are failing for the basics: errors output by
WP_DEBUG, invalid HTML/CSS, no wp_head() or wp_footer(), etc.

There are some Theme developers that are complaining that they have to
accommodate wp_nav_menu() for their navigation menus, but that is not a
valid complaint, IMHO. It is an opportunity to help the Theme developer
understand why supporting the built-in Nav Menu functionality is
appropriate, and good for their Theme users.

>
> We're actively driving away people with this process.


No, we're not.

Maybe the timeliness of reviews is a concern. That's fair - but then, we
only have 3-4 active reviewers at any given time.


> Seriously, it
> *must* change. Approving only 1 in 8 themes is simply a travesty.
>

Go audit the 545 Themes that were rejected. You tell us what percentage of
those should have been approved, in your opinion, and why.

The only travesty here is the dearth of code quality being submitted for
inclusion in the Theme repository.

Chip
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