Comments on: Are Free WordPress Themes Dead? http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/ Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:30:33 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: FurFurRising http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-13602 FurFurRising Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:34:48 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-13602 old stale and boring themes are not dead, that's the problem, last week I trauled through the whole of the theme site on wordpress and (imho) and 99.9% of them are old, stale and boring, I only found 5-10 out of the whole site that were worth any salt. old stale and boring themes are not dead, that’s the problem, last week I trauled through the whole of the theme site on wordpress and (imho) and 99.9% of them are old, stale and boring,
I only found 5-10 out of the whole site that were worth any salt.

]]> By: Pete http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8566 Pete Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:00:38 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8566 I'd like to see more themes built around specific plugins... why not eh? Plugins are really the meat behind WP so why not design/theme a site based on some of the more innovative ones. I'd still LOVE to see this design themed :) http://www.oswd.org/design/preview/id/3685 It would work brilliantly with my modified version of Justin Tadlocks 'Get the image' plugin... in my version I can retrieve any image according to their sort order. Please please please!!! I’d like to see more themes built around specific plugins… why not eh? Plugins are really the meat behind WP so why not design/theme a site based on some of the more innovative ones.

I’d still LOVE to see this design themed :)
http://www.oswd.org/design/preview/id/3685
It would work brilliantly with my modified version of Justin Tadlocks ‘Get the image’ plugin… in my version I can retrieve any image according to their sort order.

Please please please!!!

]]> By: Pete http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8565 Pete Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:27:40 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8565 I agree... it's more than just designs... it's about having purpose made themes, good options admin pages and lots of 'functions' that make my life easy. I agree… it’s more than just designs… it’s about having purpose made themes, good options admin pages and lots of ‘functions’ that make my life easy.

]]> By: Leland http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8439 Leland Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:51:30 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8439 @Kyle: Thanks for the kind words, nice to be mentioned in the same sentence with "Smashing Magazine" lol. Definitely agree with you that themes are far from dead, and tons of people use them. Not every WordPress user has a "theme budget" and there are plenty of free themes that are suitable for lots of different kinds of blogs. @Kyle: Thanks for the kind words, nice to be mentioned in the same sentence with “Smashing Magazine” lol. Definitely agree with you that themes are far from dead, and tons of people use them.

Not every WordPress user has a “theme budget” and there are plenty of free themes that are suitable for lots of different kinds of blogs.

]]> By: Kyle Eslick http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8377 Kyle Eslick Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:07:24 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8377 Leland, I can definitely say that free themes are FAR from dead. In fact, they still to really well. I've written about free themes in the past and to this date, they are still the most visited pages on WPHacks.com. I think your point that many of the free themes released (and covered on WLTC) are the very basic blog themes that look very 2007. There is still a VERY strong market for blog themes, but these designs need a strong feature or terrific design to be popular, just like CMS themes. As Justin mentions, design is no longer the key ingredient. The control panels of Woo Themes, Thesis, and Woo Themes are growing and becoming more innovative each month it seems. This is why they are leading the pack (as well as some of the free frameworks which do very well selling child themes). Between Smashing Magazine and here at Theme Lab, I think that there are still some incredible free themes being released, people just need to know where to look! Leland,

I can definitely say that free themes are FAR from dead. In fact, they still to really well. I’ve written about free themes in the past and to this date, they are still the most visited pages on WPHacks.com.

I think your point that many of the free themes released (and covered on WLTC) are the very basic blog themes that look very 2007. There is still a VERY strong market for blog themes, but these designs need a strong feature or terrific design to be popular, just like CMS themes.

As Justin mentions, design is no longer the key ingredient. The control panels of Woo Themes, Thesis, and Woo Themes are growing and becoming more innovative each month it seems. This is why they are leading the pack (as well as some of the free frameworks which do very well selling child themes).

Between Smashing Magazine and here at Theme Lab, I think that there are still some incredible free themes being released, people just need to know where to look!

]]> By: Leland http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8369 Leland Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:05:09 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8369 @Justin Tadlock: Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts on this. I'm totally with you up until the last couple sentences. Do you really think a newcomer could come along and become the "top dog" any day of the week? The big theme developers now have built their profiles up over periods of several years. I think it would have to be a really phenomenal idea for a newcomer to rise up the ranks so quickly. @Justin Tadlock: Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts on this. I’m totally with you up until the last couple sentences.

Do you really think a newcomer could come along and become the “top dog” any day of the week?

The big theme developers now have built their profiles up over periods of several years. I think it would have to be a really phenomenal idea for a newcomer to rise up the ranks so quickly.

]]> By: Justin Tadlock http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8368 Justin Tadlock Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:48:10 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8368 Free themes dead? Nah, not really. As you say, stale, old, and boring blog themes are dead. The game has changed significantly though. Themes used to be about the design. That's what stood out. Now, it's about functionality. It used to be a designer's playground, but it's not anymore. It's pretty tough (as a designer) to compete against developers who can offer more functionality. Many people are going to change the design anyway, so it's become less important than the features. Anyone can pop out a simple design, but not everyone can code advanced functionality. The people that can merge the two (great design and advanced functionality) will be at the top. Whether there's a price tag is a non-issue. I've never had to sell a theme to have it become popular. In fact, a free theme stands a much greater chance of becoming popular than a paid theme given proper promotion. I don't want to completely knock design though. A great designer can build a name for himself within the community. It probably has a lot more to do with the name of the theme author and the promotion the theme gets. But, any day of the week, a newcomer could come along with a great idea and become the "top dog" in the WordPress theme world. And, that person could (and most likely will) do it with a free theme. Free themes dead? Nah, not really.

As you say, stale, old, and boring blog themes are dead. The game has changed significantly though. Themes used to be about the design. That’s what stood out. Now, it’s about functionality. It used to be a designer’s playground, but it’s not anymore. It’s pretty tough (as a designer) to compete against developers who can offer more functionality. Many people are going to change the design anyway, so it’s become less important than the features.

Anyone can pop out a simple design, but not everyone can code advanced functionality.

The people that can merge the two (great design and advanced functionality) will be at the top. Whether there’s a price tag is a non-issue. I’ve never had to sell a theme to have it become popular. In fact, a free theme stands a much greater chance of becoming popular than a paid theme given proper promotion.

I don’t want to completely knock design though. A great designer can build a name for himself within the community.

It probably has a lot more to do with the name of the theme author and the promotion the theme gets. But, any day of the week, a newcomer could come along with a great idea and become the “top dog” in the WordPress theme world. And, that person could (and most likely will) do it with a free theme.

]]> By: Leland http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8367 Leland Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:39:33 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8367 @Keith: Yeah, it's not always about promoting yourself. It's also about contributing back to the community. Even if you don't get a lot of attention, you're still giving back in a way. @cuteegirlee: Yep, your feedback on the boringness of themes like on <a href="http://www.themelab.com/2009/04/16/cool-stripes-free-wordpress-theme/" rel="nofollow">this post</a> really inspired me to try to do less boring themes. Hopefully I've done a decent job of that recently. @Tim Bednar: Thanks for stopping by. I actually have not heard of Ashford so I'll have to check it out more thoroughly later. The model sounds similar to <a href="http://themeshaper.com" rel="nofollow">ThemeShaper</a>'s model where Thematic is free, with paid commercial child theme addons. @lhoylhoy: Not sure where you got that idea. Who said their coding skills were limited? @Keith: Yeah, it’s not always about promoting yourself. It’s also about contributing back to the community. Even if you don’t get a lot of attention, you’re still giving back in a way.

@cuteegirlee: Yep, your feedback on the boringness of themes like on this post really inspired me to try to do less boring themes. Hopefully I’ve done a decent job of that recently.

@Tim Bednar: Thanks for stopping by. I actually have not heard of Ashford so I’ll have to check it out more thoroughly later. The model sounds similar to ThemeShaper’s model where Thematic is free, with paid commercial child theme addons.

@lhoylhoy: Not sure where you got that idea. Who said their coding skills were limited?

]]> By: lhoylhoy http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8344 lhoylhoy Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:22:30 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8344 if you think your coding skills is limited you should just consider designing css templates and let others port it to wordpress. Like me i switch to just css designs if you think your coding skills is limited you should just consider designing css templates and let others port it to wordpress. Like me i switch to just css designs

]]> By: Tim Bednar http://www.themelab.com/2009/09/30/are-free-wordpress-themes-dead/#comment-8337 Tim Bednar Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:36:01 +0000 http://www.themelab.com/?p=995#comment-8337 As someone building a WP CMS theme framework -- I agree that excellent free themes are really hard to find. And as I go into my 2nd year with Ashford, I'm finding that coding a bullet-proof theme that keeps pace with WP releases is a challenge. I am working on a different "freemium" model -- where I'm developing Ashford and releasing it for free. Then for different niches I'll be releasing "pro" versions which will add features via Ashford plugins (because so many plugins do not play nice with putting jQuery/JavaScript in the footer) and custom page templates. All of it GPL. As I see the future == the real value will be in the visual design of theme frameworks (e.g. Hybrid or Ashford) via child themes. Because in the end ONLY the visual design is able to be copyrighted. This way the functional code stays rock solid and rich then its all eye candy which you can charge for... Just my 2 cents... As someone building a WP CMS theme framework — I agree that excellent free themes are really hard to find.

And as I go into my 2nd year with Ashford, I’m finding that coding a bullet-proof theme that keeps pace with WP releases is a challenge.

I am working on a different “freemium” model — where I’m developing Ashford and releasing it for free. Then for different niches I’ll be releasing “pro” versions which will add features via Ashford plugins (because so many plugins do not play nice with putting jQuery/JavaScript in the footer) and custom page templates. All of it GPL.

As I see the future == the real value will be in the visual design of theme frameworks (e.g. Hybrid or Ashford) via child themes. Because in the end ONLY the visual design is able to be copyrighted.

This way the functional code stays rock solid and rich then its all eye candy which you can charge for…

Just my 2 cents…

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