[theme-reviewers] Public Redress of Theme Reviewers

[esmi at quirm dot net]

on 01/09/2010 17:03 Chip Bennett said the following:
> On Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 10:39 AM, Otto <otto at ottodestruct.com> wrote:

<snip>

>> This is acceptable to you? You want the process to turn people away
>>  from our site?

> If such people are utterly unwilling to support the community's
> efforts to ensure high-quality, supported Themes are available in the
> official Theme repository, what does that say about their willingness
> to be contributing members of the community?

I rarely bother to read this list - although I'm still obviously
subscribed in case I need it when I pluck up my remaining enthusiasm to
submit another theme. However, much of what I have read over the past 
few weeks is strikingly redolent of one thing - an apparent total lack 
of any respect for theme authors.

Apparently we're all submitting "appalling quality" themes, using the 
Theme Review process to quality control our themes because we are 
unwilling to do so ourselves and attempting to buck the system if we try 
to bring up legitimate issues.

How on earth can you directly equate serious concerns about the current 
review process with an unwillingness to be contributing members of the 
community? And what does this say about your estimation of those who do 
raise valid arguments - whether you agree with them or not?

I speak as one who does contribute where I can - albeit peripherally - 
and as one who tried to use this very list to raise a valid concern 
about the (then) Theme Review Guidelines. Even citing the Codex in 
support of my concerns. I was quite clearly told to ignore the Codex and 
to add something to my theme (that was totally incorrect) if I wanted it 
to pass the Review. At *no* point was there any "discussion" of the 
issue I raised. In fact, the only reason the issue was corrected was 
that a member of the core development team came in a week later and 
specifically said that it *had* to be removed from the Guidelines.

So why did no one listen to me? Because, it seems to me, that you have 
very little or no respect for most theme authors.

And, gentlemen, without MUTUAL respect, there will never be ANY 
meaningful discussion or progress.

And, please don't tell me to go and do a few reviews. I've been 
reviewing designs, sites and themes for years. And, yes, 7 out of 10 of 
the sites that I review will probably fail at the first hurdle. But even 
with the most severe failures, I would never, ever, communicate with the 
developer with anything other than respect and thanks. And, wherever 
possible, I will always try to point them in the right direction - in 
some case working with them for a few weeks to address the issues I found.

If someone doesn't respect their submitters and isn't willing to work 
*with* them  - and in some cases, educate them - then I personally 
question whether they should be doing the job at all. Reviewing someone 
else's work is far more than just going through a list of tick boxes and 
laying down the law.

Sadly, I don't see that happening here. :-(

esmi