[theme-reviewers] Change 'add_custom_header' from _must_ include to ...

[Chip Bennett]

+1

(Note: I originally put it in the "must" category - along with everything else 
- as a basis to begin discussion. So, I'm glad we're having that discussion!)

Sounds like a good, convincing argument to me! :)

But, where to put it? I think our options are "required", "recommended", and 
"optional".

What about "suggested (unless the theme design/layout would be adversely 
affected)"?

If not something along those lines, then I'd say just make it optional.

-- 
Chip Bennett
chip at chipbennett.net
www.chipbennett.net

On Thursday 15 July 2010 9:38:02 am Edward Caissie wrote:
> I would like to submit back for discussion to the mailing-list/Theme
> Reviewers the "must" requirement of including 'add_custom_header' support
> to themes.
> 
> The function itself is great and relatively easy to implement but I see it
> as focused for use with single banner style image header areas, such as
> Twenty-Ten and similarly designed themes. This then presents an issue for
> themes that do follow this particular design concept/layout especially
> themes that do not have header images per the author's choice; or, a more
> difficult to address issue of themes with multiple images in the header ...
> again a theme author's choice.
> 
> Dictating the use of 'add_custom_header' as a _must_ item in theme
> development will start pushing themes to more of a cookie-cutter look and
> feel, not to mention the potential for authors to simply lift the code, for
> example, from Twenty-Ten and drop it into their own theme to meet the must
> need of the requirement. This leads right into originality issues with
> themes as well ... another topic for another thread.
> 
> As examples, I will use my own themes (currently in the repository) simply
> due to my familiarity with them.
> 
> 1) Desk Mess Mirrored:
> http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/desk-mess-mirrored/
> - three (3) header images; of which each image I have seen modified
> individually, or with one other ... or in rare cases all three.
> 
> 2) Shades: http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/shades/
> - no header image; although 'add_custom_header' should be relatively easy
> and straight forward to implement I envisioned this theme to start with no
> header; and, to allow end-users to modify the header area as they saw fit.
> 
> 3) Ground Floor: http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/ground-floor/
> - no distinct header image; this theme has a dynamically expanding header
> area to allow for very long titles, taglines, horizintal top menus etc.
> Implementing 'add_custom_header' would for all intent and purpose break the
> theme's look and feel.
> 
> 4) NoNa: http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/nona/
> - a distinct header image that is integral to the theme layout itself. To
> implement 'add_custom_header' for this theme is possible but would require
> a certain level of skill with a graphic program to create additional
> headers. Otherwise it is essentially being dictated the theme itself may
> be required to be re-written and the graphics re-made to meet the
> requirement of adding this function.
> 
> In my opinion, themes similar to 2) and 3) above would be detrimentally
> affected by the "must" use criteria placed on 'add_custom_header'. Themes
> that follow similarly to 4) above may have limited usability added by the
> addition of the function.
> 
> Quite honestly I would like to be able to add the function of custom
> headers to Desk Mess Mirrored, but as I wrote at the beginning of this
> message the 'add_custom_header' function does not appear to directly
> handle multiple header images displayed on the same page at the same time;
> and, from what I am able to see in the supporting core code it would
> require a great deal of custom code to add that functionality to the
> theme, or similar themes, in question.
> 
> I strongly believe the function has a great deal of use and potential, but
> I do not believe it _must_ be included for a theme to be accepted into the
> repository. Perhaps suggested, recommended, or simply optional would be a
> better requirement benchmark.
> 
> 
> --
> Edward Caissie
> http://edwardcaissie.com
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 198 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part.
URL: <http://lists.wordpress.org/pipermail/theme-reviewers/attachments/20100715/2b8660c0/attachment.pgp>