Is Options another “cookie-cutter” magazine theme?
One of the things I’ve wanted to address is whether the Options theme is just another magazine theme. This theme isn’t meant to be only a magazine theme but a theme for anyone.
Did I promote it as a magazine theme? Certainly, at least on the demo page. Magazine-styled themes are “hot” right now. Why not take advantage of that?
Have I called this a magazine theme? No. It’s only meant to have the capability of being a magazine theme.
What I mean by “options”
On the surface, it’s just another theme floating around in the WordPress-o-sphere, but it’s meant to be so much more than that. The ultimate goal of this theme is to allow any user to have the features he or she wants without touching the code at all, except to design stylesheets or custom sections, which the theme is already flexible enough to allow for. Of course, I don’t want load times to slow any either.
This means that the theme will allow for a normal blog or something closer to a CMS.
The major problem with adding lots of bells and whistles, as pointed out by Small Potato is that “the user doesn’t know when to stop.”
I packed a lot of options into this theme because I want users to have options but not overdo it by filling five home page layout sections with tabs or videos. Some users will definitely take that route, and there’s not much I can do for them because they’d find a way to do it with or without my theme. You have seen those MySpace profiles, right?
So, “options” isn’t meant to say that you have different options for your magazine-type site but to say that you have options on what you want to display and where.
Should a theme have so many options? Maybe not. The idea may be flawed and essentially not workable, but I’m going to try anyway. I simply wanted to create a theme where I’d only have to add new styles and maybe some nifty upgrades and build a community around that.
Take note that the Options theme is still in beta
I wanted to point out that this is only a beta release, which means that everything isn’t complete. Basically, this is a test run to see what users ultimately want or need, what’s easy for them, and how to improve upon the original idea.
From software release cycle on Answers.com:
A beta version is the first version released outside the organization or community that develops the software, for the purpose of evaluation or real-world black/grey-box testing. The process of delivering a beta version to the users is called beta release. Beta level software generally includes all features, but may also include known issues and bugs of a less serious variety.
The users of a beta version are called beta testers.
So, you are my guinea pigs. Let me know what needs improving.
Final thoughts
I think most people only want to look at the magazine-type features. You can already run a normal, full-posts blog with this theme, an option I’ve seen a few users take advantage of. It’s one of the first files I put together for it. I’ll definitely have a few different demos running once the theme’s out of beta, so you can see some of the different options and how I’d use them.
Future releases will move more toward usability, new styles and optimizing the code, not more bells and whistles. Of course, there’ll probably be a few enhancements along the line too.
Do you think one theme can be “one-size-fits-all”? Or, am I trying too much?
Yeah your right about users over loading blogs and stuff. I hate how Facebook people have 50+ pointless apps that have to load before a can leave them a message on there wall! Thankfully FB is working of fixing that. But as to your theme I have a question (this might be better off in the forum) is there a way to keep the sud-menus from showing sub-sub-pages?
Justin, I don’t think a theme can ever be a one-size-fits-all, but I think this theme has the potential to get close to being a one-size-fits-most theme.
You are doing revolutionary work, please don’t let any “glitches” in verbal semantics slow you down. Frankly, I read that other post yesterday and I think it’s unfair to you, especially given that whatever changes requested of you were made. Was there really a need to publicize the situation? I don’t think so.
Keep on truckin!
I’m loving what I see so far and I’m going to put up a site with it. I was going to use Structure, but I like Opeions even better.
I am having problems getting on the forum though. Is anyone else? I get “not found” 404, 50something not implemented, etc. I don’k know if it’s my ISP or Justin’s GoDaddy getting overwelmed.
I wish I could have more interaction with other users. It would help my noobie butt along a little faster.
I’d have a hard time filling up the magazine features with my noobie-butt blog, but I am looking seriously at how Structure, Options, or something similar might serve my purposes when the site is more mature.
My current theme is a Sandbox Theme skin, being tweaked by me at a glacial pace as I figure out how all this code works, what goes in to a well-designed site, and what I personally find appealing. (Those things don’t always get along…)
The Sandbox Theme is slated to be bundled with future WordPress releases, I believe, but I don’t have an example of a magazine-style skin for it that I find appealing. Any chance of you working with that theme in the future, Justin?
I also wanted to add a note saying that I appreciate how you’ve involved and been responsive to your user base. I’ve used the Structure theme for a while now, and I was pleased that I could “upgrade” to Options and have the new theme plug-and-play with 80% of my Structure-era content. I know it probably makes things easier on your end too - no reason for a developer to re-invent the wheel. But I know it could have been a lot harder to change over than it was. IMHO, the options theme shouldn’t be judged solely by how it meshes with macro trends, but by the way it creates, maintains, and responds to a user community. There’s a lot to be said for what Justin’s doing in that regard.
@Justin and WPModder: I didn’t know that’s what Jeff had in mind when I invited him to guest blog on Wpdesigner, but I did get a chance to review that post before publishing it. Although it isn’t right to rehash resolved issues, that was not my intention.
I looked at it as chance to clear your name and reiterate my point about Options and magazine themes in general. Thankfully, most of the subsequent comments seem to agree.
As for the main question of this post, I don’t have an answer, but would lean toward the assumption that no one system / theme can satisfy the needs of all blogs. In any case, you’ll end up with a very bulky theme.
Noah H.
Check out wp_list_pages() or stop by the forums for help.
I was a bit surprised when Facebook took the MySpace route, though I shouldn’t have been. Those stupid apps. I like the app system but just display links in my profile for them.
WPModder
Thanks for the support but what people say on other blogs doesn’t really change any plans I have for this theme or future projects. I’ve started building a good community around the types of WordPress things I do and just want to continue developing new stuff by listening to what they’re saying and responding in the best way I can.
I think “one-size-fits-most” would’ve probably been better wording anyway.
CircleReader
I don’t have any plans to work with the Sandbox theme. Right now, I plan to continue building on the Structure and Options themes and making them better, while releasing some simpler blog themes or niche-specific themes along with them.
wideaperture
The community is the first thing I go to for my development process. There were many things I was proud of with Structure, but it still wasn’t as user-friendly as I would’ve liked. So, this ongoing project is mostly a response to the questions and requests I’ve received in the last couple of months.
Small Potato
This was a post I had in mind beforehand, but your comments motivated me to write it and gave me an angle to work from. I think you definitely raise some good points about the trend in magazine themes. Obviously, I’m taking advantage of this trend for fame and fortune.
Just take a look at this blog. Although it’s in need of an upgrade design-wise, I don’t use a lot of these flashy things because you don’t need tabs, drop-down menus, or a big feature article to run a site and new styles for this theme and other themes I develop will lean more toward this idea.
Thanks for your input on a one-theme system. The main thing I’m working on is optimizing the code, taking away some of the bulk while keeping the same available features.
You’re not the only one. Plus, I haven’t seen fortune coming your way and hope that it does soon.
I just wanted to drop by to make sure there’s no hard feelings because I have respect for what you’re doing. The proof is in the comments. JustinTadlock.com (out of millions of blogs) probably has the most comments from “Small Potato.”
Small Potato
Oh no, there’s no hard feelings at all. And, I’m always appreciative of you stopping by and commenting.
I do have a few ideas about “fortune” at some point but haven’t decided which route to take. I can assure you I won’t be entering the premium theme market and will continue developing free themes for the community that’s given so much to me.
Justin, you are DA MAN. I almost fell off my chair when I ran across your theme. And you’re not even charging for it, too! Dude, this is, easily, one of the best themes I’ve ever seen. I look forward to seeing what else you do with it, how you modify it, etc.
Uhm. I am new to wordpress and themes. I just found yours.
WOW.
Thanks.
“Should a theme have so many options? Maybe not.” And why not? Option doesn’t necessarily mean “have to use it all”, right? However, the ability to effortlessly tweak a theme to suite your needs is greatly appreciated from people like me.
That is, although I know my way around PHP, CSS and the like, I lack the patience and the skill to put them together in a nice and competitive format. You gave us the structure; how we manage to individualize our pages is our concern.
So I’d like to thank you for your release. With “Options”, you provided me with the perfect structure I was searching for some quite time, one that would help me build something nicer and bigger on what used to be a simple personal blog. (Which, since I implemented your theme, is at its turn in a new Beta stage)
Justin,
I, too, am reaching a 404 page when I try to get to the forums. Please check it out for us. I am so very dependent on reading what others have to say to learn how to use your themes (and the blog process in general). I am having Tadlock Forum withdrawal.
Thanks,
SinD
Justin, thanks I’ll look at that. And have you seen the screenshots of th new Facebook profiles with tabs?
Speaking from my limited experience exploring wordpress on my site (www.catherinesmusic.com), I see the potential in the “Options” Theme for developing a blog for the distribution of my music online. My thanks goes out not only to Justin, but all the other folks including Justin who have developed wordpress as a team as independent-thinking artist-types who want to create a new ecomomy based on love and respect.
“Options” theme is a successor of Structure theme… But “Structure” needs not to be forgotten, we loved it as it’s the first very-close-to-magazine style theme created by you, JT. “Newspaperize” is another one, but it looks bit old fashioned, I can figure out it was meant to act as New York Times, right?
Back to “Options”, I can restyle over-all the theme. Though you (JT) stated, in the user-custom-1.css and user-custom-2.css these lines:
Well, what about if I copy dark.css or light.css and replace the colors, images, backgrounds, inputs… Hmmm.. It will produce terrific look, even we (users) can reproduce a great looking interface like that of Manchester United Website, thanx to features gallery.
For Justin Tadlock, nice job, man.
For Jeff Chandler using Small Potato, why are you so critic?
Jackburton
Thanks. I have quite a few plans I’m implementing at the moment. It may take a few releases to get everything working like I want it to, but that’s the goal of the project — keep building on the code and trying to perfect it.
Austin
Thanks. Feel free to test drive the beta version.
Mkk
That’s actually a good reply — “And why not?”
The biggest trouble with having the options is keeping the code light, which I think I’ve done for the most part. I’ll keep trying to optimize it as new features are added, so users sites won’t be bogged down (unless they use all the heaviest options of course).
SinDe
I still haven’t had any problems with a 404 with the forums. Maybe it happened when I was testing something. Clear your browser’s cache or something to see if it changes.
Catherine
Thanks. The WordPress community is what it’s ultimately all about anyway.
J Mehmett
Thanks for your input. I do have big plans for the Structure theme. I don’t want to give away all the details yet. However, I can say that a better widget-system will be in place for that theme.
Basically, I have two very specific goals with each theme as far as customization goes. So, look for some Structure-related news soon.
Most previous themes will continue getting updates but won’t get the attention that Options and Structure will get because I’m…well…I’m only one man.
Definitely use the predefined Dark and Light stylesheets available to customize your own. It would save a lot of time and hassle trying to get everything to align perfectly.
I think with the community we’ve been building at the forums there’s no telling where either theme will go into the future.
This is a really lovely and impressive theme. Nice work!
I just redid my photography site/blog (http://www.f1point0.com) with the options theme and I love it so far. I went through about 5 gajillion themes looking for one that a)was visually appealing, clean, etc… and 2) had the functionality that I wanted. I even considered leaving wordpress altogether for drupal or something… however, not only is the options theme *exactly* what I was looking for feature-wise, but it is visually very appealing as well (the dark greys and blues were *exactly* the color scheme I was looking for). Also, it is very well designed from a structure point of view, and makes it easy for a web-programming n00b like myself to find my way around the CSS and PHP. Anyway, keep up the good work, it is a fantastic theme.
I’m in the place to tell you that i like what you do and did.
Thanks and congrats from France.
Thanks for an excellent theme!
I am so fed up with all the “blog” oriented themes and it is refreshing with a theme that takes the best of WP and makes it fit easier as a CMS as well.
Well done!
Also; Has anyone integrated Optiosn with the ZenPhoto gallery? That would be a very nice combination…
Cheers,
Joakim
Justin,
I gotta say this is the best looking theme for WP I have seen and I can tell you I have been looking…
I am trying to register in the Forum so I can ask this question, but after I get the registration is complete I never get the email with my password so that I can actually log in.
What I am wanting to know is that I need someone to help me set up my Options theme. Yes I have gone through FAQ and the forum but its all way over my head and abilities to be honest all this CSS coding etc..
I am needing someone to do this for me, I really dont mind paying for the help!
Brennan
I do not know if someone can find me a demo of the many options that “Options” theme provide.
New to your blog and the Options theme but im watching and im very curious! Best thing about it is the price!
Nichole
Thanks for the compliments. Look out for more stylesheets and maybe you’ll find something that works for your site.
Ed Z
Thanks for using the theme. I like what you’ve done with your site. Be on the lookout for some photo gallery options in the future of the theme.
arthurgogol
Thanks. Post your URL if you’re using the theme. I always like to see what people come up with.
Joakim Westin
Stop by the forums and see if anyone else is using the ZenPhoto gallery. If not, maybe you can start a thread over there for people that might want to use it.
Brennan
Make sure the email’s not going into your junk folder or anything. If nothing else, contact me, and I’ll set up an account for you and email you the password personally.
Krishna
That would take several demos. There are quite a few options. Several people are showing off there theme in the forums, so you might want to check those out. The best thing to do is just download a copy and play around with the options.
Jermayn Parker
Thanks. Keep on the lookout for the official release and more “options” to come.
Hi Justin. I have to tell you, I love your visionary theme, I love even more structure, but this definetly blow my mind.
Is so, so great.
I want to put it in my side, but I have to tweak it a little. I hate to ask this, but you have an ETA for a new version of this theme? Because I’m not sure if is better to wait a little or I just start to work.
Amazing work you have done. Thanks!!!
Guillermo
I hope to have a new version ready by the end of this weekend, definitely by the end of next week. I’m completely redeveloping the user interface with better widget control and much more ease of use.
Excelent news!!! I’ll wait then… Can I suggest an option to exclude a category or maybe a tag from the usuall list of post?
Maybe I’m not clear. It will be great if the post in the feature section, does not appear in the others sections (Category blocks, excerpts,etc). If the last post is a feature one, and is in some sections, will appear too many times…
That’s the only serious issue I saw.
Keep the good work!!!
Thanks in advance!
PS. I try to post the suggestion in the forum, but is down..
I’ve looked at hundreds of themes to find what I want and yours comes closest and is far different than the rest of the crowd. You’re paving a new way here. Thanks.
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