[theme-reviewers] theme and plugins hosting on wordpress.org

Sat Feb 4 17:23:21 UTC 2012

I still have one not answered questions:
1)

The answers for his one is not very clear:
4)
I did not get if you are gonna approve such a theme or not? I understand
that it will have to validate and pass all technical requirements.

Another questions:
9) where do I ask about plugins? Is there a mailing list like that one for
themes where I can ask?

On Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 7:51 PM, Edward Caissie <edward.caissie at gmail.com>wrote:

> @Kirk has covered most of the points so I see no real need to repeat them.
>
> As to the "Lite" theme linking to the commercial theme with either URI;
> generally this is not accepted. It would be better to have those URI
> landing page(s) have a link to the commercial instead.
>
>
> Cais.
>
>
>
> On Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 12:01 PM, Kirk Wight <kwight at kwight.ca> wrote:
>
>> A few answers inline; I'm speaking from the point of view of themes in
>> the Free Theme Directory (it may be different for plugins).
>>
>> On 3 February 2012 11:32, Petar Genev <petar.genev at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi there,
>>>
>>> I am sorry if some of my questions are silly but I really get very
>>> confused of what I can and can't submit to the repository, what links I
>>> can/can't place and where.
>>>
>>> I got some of my answers from Chip Bennett in a few support forum
>>> threads. Thanks Chip.
>>> There are still things to clear out.
>>>
>>> Here is my whole story:
>>>
>>> I am planing to build my own blog which will include:
>>> - blog posts with stuff like how to deal with wordpress, how to
>>> customize, best practices of lots of wordpress stuff.
>>> - reviews of free themes and plugins hosted in the wordpress.orgrepository with "download from
>>> wordpress.org" links.
>>> - reviews of themes from woothemes.com and "purchase from woothemes.com"
>>> affiliate links.
>>> - reviews of themes from themeforest.net and "purchase from
>>> themeforest.net" affiliate links.
>>> - reviews of plugins from codecanyon.net and "purchase from
>>> codecanyon.net" affiliate links.
>>>
>>> I want to upload themes and plugins to the wordpress repository so they
>>> can get viewed and used by many users. I want to put link back to my blog,
>>> so those users can check on my blog it they want to.
>>> No spam messages, no spamy email lists, no collection of any user data.
>>> I am not trying to be a spammer of any kind. I want to give quality
>>> stuff to wordpress users and get some traffic to my blog so I can
>>> eventually get some financial benefits.
>>>
>>
>> In style.css, you can have a Theme URI and/or Author URI; just make sure
>> they go to the appropriate page, eg. http://petergenev.com,
>> http://petargeev.com/awesome-theme/ (see:
>> http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Review#Credit_Links)
>>
>>
>>>
>>> I see many wordpress.org users are doing stuff like that. Some of them
>>> sell their own stuff on their blogs, some refer to others, some submit to
>>> the repository a light version of a plugin for example and then put links
>>> to lead users to purchase the full version from their blogs. I've even seen
>>> banners of Themeforest and Codecanyon with affiliate links on the blogs of
>>> some members.
>>>
>>> As you read further do not get the image that the only thing I want is
>>> to  recreate and use stuff that has been developed already to release
>>> themes and plugins to wordpress.org. I want to build original stuff
>>> too, but I want to quickly see how it goes first.
>>>
>>> I will list all of the questions here and hope to finally clear it all
>>> out :)
>>>
>>> 1) Is it ok to have a blog + affiliate links like that and promote it
>>> with free GPL themes and plugins. I am not gonna put affiliate links in the
>>> themes files or anywhere on pages on wordpress.org. The affiliate links
>>> will stay on my blog only.
>>>
>>> Now on what can/can't be hosted in the wordpress.org repository
>>>
>>> 2) If I make a theme from another theme. Let say I take Twenty Eleven
>>> and redesing it, so it have a good new look. I use the whole back-end
>>> functionality the way it is. Name my theme "Twenty Eleven New Line" or
>>> something like that but keep the original name. Is this fine?
>>>
>>
>> It's fine to base a new design on an existing theme (that's one of the
>> benefits of the GPL). To be allowed in the Free Themes Directory, however,
>> the new theme must have significant changes in design or functionality, or
>> it will be considered derivative. For example, you can't simply take Twenty
>> Eleven, change the default link color, and submit it to the directory. (see
>> discussion here:
>> http://lists.wordpress.org/pipermail/theme-reviewers/2011-October/007020.html
>> )
>>
>>
>>>
>>> 3) what is acceptable? When I say redesign... do I have to create psd
>>> html css files from scratch or I can use whatever is in the theme I am
>>> redesigning and work on what has already been done.
>>> To get a new great looking design I can work on existing psd files and
>>> save coding time using existing html/css.
>>>
>>
>> Not sure what you're asking... you do not need to include PSD files, and
>> yes, you can base your new, fresh design on the existing HTML/CSS (again,
>> the benefits of GPL)
>>
>>
>>>
>>> 4) If I redesign for example the woothemes Swatch theme
>>> http://www.woothemes.com/2011/08/swatch/
>>> It is completely free. I have asked them and they told me that I can do
>>> whatever I want with that theme and re-distribute it wherever I  want. They
>>> said that even for wordpress.org repository.
>>> Is this acceptable?
>>>
>>
>> Yes - their themes are fully GPL, meaning you can do what you like with
>> them, and distribute them however you like. I'm not sure if anyone has ever
>> taken a GPL premium theme and tried to submit it as-is to the theme repo; I
>> don't think that would be in the spirit of what the theme repo wants to be.
>> Again, using their code as a base for something new, however, would be
>> great. Of course, it still has to pass the requirements of review,
>> regardless of where that original code came from.
>>
>>
>>> About links to me. I don't quite get where can/can't put links. I
>>> understand SEO back links and viagra links are not acceptable at all. I was
>>> thinking of:
>>>
>>> 5) theme or plugin option page - a donate link or a link to my blog?
>>>
>>> 6) theme description page?
>>> For example here
>>> http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/all-in-one-seo-pack/ I see a link
>>> "Upgrade to pro version" on the second line of the description. I assume it
>>> is acceptable to have links like that?
>>>
>>
>> As for themes, it is acceptable to submit a "Lite" version of a
>> commercial theme - but that lite version must stand on its own and meet all
>> requirements. As for a link to the commercial version on the theme options
>> page... uh, not sure. Anyone?
>>
>>
>>>
>>> 7) can I put links to my social media, like Follow me on twitter on the
>>> description pages of my themes and plugins on wordpress.org
>>>
>>> 8) Let's say I sell a plugin on CodeCanyon.net. I upload a Light version
>>> of that plugin on wordpress.org repository. Put links to my blog, to
>>> the review page of my full version plugin. And from that page of my blog
>>> users can go and purchase it from codecanyon. I am not gonna put links
>>> directly from wordpress.org to codecanyon.
>>> Both light and pro version are my creation from scratch.
>>> If this is not acceptable, what is the difference if I sell the pro
>>> version on my blog (like all in one seo pack) and elsewhere like codecanyon?
>>>
>>> I hope to clear it all this time. :)
>>>
>>> Thank you for your help in advance and again sorry if some of my
>>> questions are silly.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Regards,
>>> Petar
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> theme-reviewers mailing list
>>> theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>>> http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
>>>
>>>
>>
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>
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