Theme Sharing Platform for WordPress Users

  • rich01 · Member ·

    One of the drawbacks I feel in WordPress (Free Edition) is in the limited number of themes, and that usually drives some people away.

    Why not consider having a theme sharing platform for WP Users? The main idea is: People can just browse through user-uploaded content (which, maybe, has to go through some sort of WordPress QC) and then apply it for use in blogs everywhere in WP (.com/.org applicable)

    To detractors: I know there’s one right here at http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/, but it only allows users to download approved WP themes. But the main difference in my idea is a platform for people to get more themes, that people who don’t pay can use.

  • tellyworth · Staff ·

    There are many WordPress theme download sites around.

    Unfortunately a bunch of people like to hide malicious code in themes. That’s why the official theme directory has an approval process, and why we recommend against downloading themes from untrusted sources. Some of the theme download sites are run by the bad guys.

  • rich01 · Member ·

    To tellyworth:
    The official theme directory is only available to wordpress.org users. Would it be possible to let wordpress.com users use those themes as easily as clicking and activating it, or what I mentioned above, a theme sharing platform for all. Just a suggestion.

    If this sort of site is possible and going to be made, this can be a good structure, I guess?

    User creates theme > Uploads into the system > Moderators (Volunteers/Staff) check for errors/malware/viruses/other crap > when there’s no such thing, its approved, or not, reject > theme appears in platform for all to download/apply into blog immediately (‘Activate’)

  • thesacredpath · Member ·

    Themes offered here have to first be sanitized for security issues and then modified to work with the multi-user version of wordpress which is used here, and then they have to be tested to make sure they work in all browsers and if problems are found, then another round of modifications and testing has to take place. And so on till there are, at the very least, no major issues.

  • raincoaster · Member ·

    There are plenty of Sandbox skins around, if you know where to find them (there are several threads here in the forum with them, for instance). You’re quite free to skin Sandbox and update those threads with the code.

  • 4vant7arde · Member ·

    I agree with rich01, there might be quite a number of free themes for wordpress.com users to choose but there are just a few that really look nice to me.

    I mean, guys, you guys gave us a dashboard system and blogging tools that surpass any other blogging site out there imo, and I appreciate that. The only thing missing here is the “look”. (btw, if we have the function to add buddy then it would be nice) That’s why wordpress.com is still a bit underrated.

    I feel that we need a theme design contest for wordpress.com as I believe that there’re a lot of talented designers among us.

  • raincoaster · Member ·

    Like I said above, there are a lot of skins for Sandbox due to the Sandbox Skin contest. Just pop it into the search box and you should get the link.

    The Add Buddy thing is currently active on BuddyPress, which is owned by and works just like WordPress.

  • 4vant7arde · Member ·

    Thanks for the info. I guess I’ll spend sometimes to dig this out then.

    But one question though: Why don’t they add those Sandbox skins into the Theme list ? There aren’t many people know the existence of these skins, me as an example.

  • raincoaster · Member ·

    I don’t know.

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