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

Wed Feb 15 00:54:08 UTC 2012

Petar,

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.

*
*
*This is entirely up to you, it's your site ;)*

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?

*
*
*Kirk gave good explanation above, any GPL Theme can be re-designed,
re-coded and used in WPORG repository.*

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

*
*
*plugins at wordpress.org*

Cheers,
Emil

On Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 1:33 AM, Petar Genev <petar.genev at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi there,
>
> Any reply to my last mail?
> 1) 4) 9)
>
> Anyone?
>
> Thanks,
> Petar
>
>
> On Sat, Feb 4, 2012 at 7:23 PM, Petar Genev <petar.genev at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> 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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>>
>
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