Good software, bad templates

[Zenigata]

A big selling point of a software is the template. Look, for example at phpbb 2.0, a simple and not powerful forum software but with some great graphics.

pixelpost is on the opposite: the software is robust but there are not a lot of templates and some doesn't work with 1.6 version.

It is strange that some developers and power users has great templates on their websites (look for example at http://foto.schonhose.nl/ ) but they doesn't release them to the public.

My question is: do you want normal people (not php and html experts) use this software? Make some stylish template.

[jaywilliams]

In the latest release, we added one new template called Horizon, which I think shows how well Pixelpost can be styled.

Also, in order to release templates, we have to have the authors consent and that normally requires that the code be released under the GPL. Which some authors would rather not do.

If you would like to make some templates for bundling with the release, feel free.

[dakwegmo]

It is strange that some developers and power users has great templates on their websites (look for example at http://foto.schonhose.nl/ ) but they doesn't release them to the public.

It's really not that strange, most people want to maintain a unique look to their site. If I took the time and effort to design a great looking site, I wouldn't want every other photoblog on the planet looking just like it. Occasionally if there's enough demand, and the designer is feeling generous, they will donate their template to the community once they are finished with it. Look through the templates and you'll see that this has happened more than once.

[GeoS]

Making good template with discreet credits (in template name or in some graphic element) is very good advertise for such graphic developer.

If I can suggest something for someone who is starting in this business is to release one or two nice looking templates just for free. If such template would be enough nice to attach it to official release of Pixelpost then such person can be very happy that few thousand of people around the world is promoting them on front site :P

[Hippo]

i would buy a well designed template, no hesitation. I think if designers offered templates for maybe 5-20 a pop, available to everyone, not just the first buyer per say , they could make some decent money. 5-10 people purchase the template you could easily justify losing your unique design, im sure many would disagree however.

[webstuffscan]

It is not that difficult to design one on your own! In fact right now I am cooking up a template for my photoblog.

[Connie]

@ Zenigata,

well, as usual you understand the net as some place where some people have to give all and the others can take all

It is really interesting to see that the efforts which people invest to develop some program raises the demand that they MUST do more

why???
There is no obligation to give more at all

but there could be an obligation to you:
to give back something when you take such a great system

I can tell you that I spent some hundred hours developing PP with the other friends,

what did you do?

[dakwegmo]

@Connie -- Why must you see everything as some kind of personal attack? He never said the PP team must do anything. He was suggesting a way to improve it. As with any suggestion it can be implemented, or ignored. Just like your suggestion that he, and the other users of PP are under some kind of obligation to give something back. If the PP team want something for their efforts, then they need to change the PP license, and either start selling it, or require a contribution to the community in the form of a template or addon. Barring that, you need to remember that without the community of PP users, the application you helped create wouldn't be where it is today. You need to recognize that, because remarks such as the one you posted above do more to hurt PP's reputation than to help it.

[Connie]

Dakewgmo,

"It is strange that some developers and power users has great templates on their websites (look for example at http://foto.schonhose.nl/ ) but they doesn't release them to the public."

this is personal. He just demands too much from those who did already a lot.
And his argumentation is just stupid.

PP is not a product in competition.
There is no "selling point" ;=)

"My question is: do you want normal people (not php and html experts) use this software? Make some stylish template."

yes, we want that. And normal people do use it.
And we have stylish templates. Because of the users. Because of the community, this I know very much.

As I wrote: giving and taking. Not: demanding

[dakwegmo]

He's not demanding anything. He made an observation and a suggestion. And that's just my point, instead of taking the comment as a suggestion for improvement, you automatically assume he's making demands and go on the defensive. I'm sure the tone is very offputting to many forum users and keeps people from actively participating in the community. But your belief that PixelPost has no competition explains why you wouldn't care whether your attitude drives potential users away.

If you check the hall of fame over at photoblogs.org you'll find that many of the photoblogs there aren't using PixelPost. How can this be if there is no competition? The fact of the matter is that PixelPost does compete with other photoblogging systems, currently Photoblogs.org lists 26 other applications that are vying for the same users as PP. Open Source software such as PP doesn't compete for cash, but it does compete for talent. If someone with a good idea shows up but gets a bad first impression they may decide it's not worth it and find another application to use. If that user though turns out to be a skilled programmer looking to join an opensource project, then we've lost the potential contribution they may have made.

Re-read the thread, and you'll see that several members managed to respond constructively, without taking the statements personally. All I'm suggesting is that all of the PP veterans including the dev team, need to give community members the benefit of the doubt when reading their posts. Newer members especially need to be treated with kid gloves, because they are the most likely to decide that the community is a bunch of jerks and give up on PixelPost. Everyone needs to be courteous, because rudeness doesn't do anything to make PixelPost better.

[witty]

LOOK... a new template available to one and all !!! Whoop! Whoop!

Thanks webstuffscan (http://forum.pixelpost.org/showthread.php?t=6863) !!!


-Witty