[theme-reviewers] How are derivative works identified?

[Ian Stewart]

On 2011-10-04, at 2:33 PM, Emil Uzelac wrote:

> Right but that does not count because you are the original developer, all Themes are yours. Changing the colors, pushing things around while keeping the same code, sure why not, when we start accepting Child Themes :)

I'm talking about any theme author using 99% of the code from the default theme in their new theme. I think that'd be great.

I also think we should leave it up to authors whether or not they want to distribute their theme as a child theme. If I tweaked 1% of the markup or functionality in every template file in Twenty Eleven and made a new stylesheet that looking dramatically different I wouldn't want that to be distributed as a child theme but it sounds like this would still count as a derivative theme.

On 2011-10-04, at 2:35 PM, Chip Bennett wrote:

> 1) To preserve rightful copyright (and license freedoms)
> 2) To ensure that the Repository does not become flooded with what amount to different "skins" of the same Theme

I think it'd be great if the repository was flooded with beautiful skins of forked and tweaked default themes that are still largely derivative code-wise. I also think it'd be horrible if the repo was flooded with slightly re-colored default themes but I think there's a difference between the two.

> 3) To ensure code is used purposefully, rather than merely copy-pasta. Code that is copied just because it was "there" in the original Theme is less likely to be understood, and therefore more likely to be implemented incorrectly (or needlessly), and also more likely to become a risk to security or robustness of the Theme.

What if you liked most of the code in the default theme? I like most of the code in the default theme. Toolbox is largely derivative of the code in Twenties Ten and Eleven. As are most of the recent Automattic themes.

Ian