[theme-reviewers] Formal Request for Change of Methodology.

[Bruce Wampler]

This discussion has moved beyond methodology, I think, and includes "plugin
territory".

I really really understand the concept of theme switching. But what about
letting users have the choice of what to present using featured intimately
tied to a theme? Why not let the users decide? Let them decide if they want
a theme with quality "plugin" features included that are known to work with
the theme rather than make them learn how to use a bunch of almost
compatible plugins? It would make more sense to require a big warning -
This theme contains features that may make switching themes difficult. Or
just require a matching plugin for theme transition.

I have one specific example - a shortcode called [show_posts]. It allows
users to selectively display specific posts based on various filters, etc.
It is the single most popular shortcode include with my theme, and people
love it fanatically.

There is an equivalent plugin called Blog in Blog, but it suffers terribly
when one tries to use it with almost any theme - it doesn't match what
posts look like on a given theme. Same for my shortcode - it is intimately
tied to how my theme displays posts - title font, meta info lines,
indentation, underlining, remark links, etc. etc.

So this shortcode CAN be done by a plugin, but it how it look sucks. So the
solution needed to provide a plugin is to have hooks specific to my theme,
and try to create an okay look in general. It can be done, but it seems so
artificial. Why not let the theme have a well designed shortcode that can
present content selected by the user that matches the theme's overall look
and feel.

And something that's been left out - where do page templates fit into this.
One can create a site based on any of the Twenty XX themes, use their page
templates, and end up with a site that is essentially broken on other
themes because the corresponding page template is not there. How is a page
template so much different than a shortcode? Just sayin...

Bruce Wampler



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