Why Use WordPress.org Themes?
They're Awesome, Really!

http://bluelotusworks.com/why-use-wordpress-org-themes/

http://wp.me/P2h3N2-i3

Do You Use Commercial Themes? Do You Use Any of These?

Theme Marketplaces
CreativeMarket
MojoThemes
ThemeForest
WP Eden

Theme Shops
AlienWP
AppThemes
DevPress
Headway Themes
Organic Themes
Press75
StartBox
StudioPress
ThemeFuse
UpThemes

They May Be OK But Don't Clearly Volunteer to Adhere to WordPress.org Theme Standards!

Are You Looking for the Wrong Things in a Theme or Making Compromises?

• Search Engine Optimized with Dozens of Options!
• Color Options for All Conceivable Elements!
• Every Friggin’ Page Template Imaginable!
• 2 Bazillion Shortcodes, Plus A Shortcode Generator!
• Widgets Up The Wazoo!
• PSD Files Included!
• If You Want A Slider Anywhere, We Got You Covered!
• Hundreds of Fonts!
• Incredibly And Fully Responsive!
• Unmatched Customization Options!
• Amazing Page Builder!
• Umpteen Custom Post Types!
• Code Obfuscation Using Base64 Encoding? No Big Deal!
• Not GNU General Public License (GPL) v2 or compatible? That's OK!
  http://www.ivycat.com/2013/07/a-newbies-guide-to-the-gpl-and-wordpress-licensing/
• All content generation is "Plugin Territory"! Deploy it using TGM Plugin Activation Library

There is One Really Good Reason to Buy a Commercial Theme!

CONSISTENT

TIMELY

SUPPORT

WordPress.org Theme Directory = Consistent, Extensive Standards

Twelve Required Standards
Code Quality
Presentation Vs. Functionality (i.e., themes define presentation/appearance, not generation of content)
Theme Features
Template Tags and Hooks
WordPress-Generated CSS Classes
Theme Template Files
Security and Privacy
Licensing, Theme Name, Credit Links, Up-Sell Themes
Theme Documentation
Theme Obsolescence
Accessibility
WordPress Trademark

Two Recommended Standards
Theme Unit Tests
Other

WordPress.org Theme Directory = Consistent, Extensive Standards

Resources

• Codex: Theme Review
  http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Review
• Codex: Theme Unit Test
  http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Unit_Test
• Theme Review Team
  http://make.wordpress.org/themes/
• Theme Check Plugin
  http://wordpress.org/plugins/theme-check/
• Automattic Theme Team Website
  http://themeshaper.com/
• Theme Checklist (from SiteOrigin)
  http://wordpress.org/plugins/theme-checklist/

Other Free Sources and Free Theme Reviews

• Free WordPress.com Themes
  http://theme.wordpress.com/themes/sort/free/
• WPLift Blog WordPress Themes Category
  http://wplift.com/category/wordpress-themes
• WP Tavern Blog Themes Category
  http://wptavern.com/category/themes
• wpMail.me Weekly Newsletter
  http://wpmail.me/
• ManageWP Blog Themes Category
  https://managewp.com/blogs/best-wordpress-themes
• Torque Blog (WP Engine) Create Category
  http://torquemag.io/category/create/
• A Better Planet RSS Feed
  http://abetterplanetwp.com/

WordPress.org Themes Directory - Commercial GPL Themes

Requirements

• Distribute 100% GPL Themes, Including Artwork and CSS
• At Least One Actively Maintained Theme in the WordPress.org Themes Directory (i.e. updated in the last year)
• Professional Support Options and Optionally Customization.
• http://wordpress.org/themes/commercial/

WordPress.org Themes Directory - Commercial GPL Theme Shops

What I Seek in a WordPress.org Theme

• Responsive Design
• High Rating, Good Reviews and/or Active Support Forum for This and Authors Other Themes
• Reliable Framework (e.g., Bootstrap, Foundation, Hybrid Core, Underscores/_s)
• Well-Maintained/Updated
• Demo Site
• Strong Documentation Including a Changelog with One or More of the Following:
  readme.txt
  Admin Contextual Help Tab
  Forum Sticky Post
  External Theme URI

Backoffice (Admin) Theme Installer

• 2675 Themes and Counting
• 15 Featured Themes
• 100 Popular Themes
• 100 Latest Themes
• Feature Filters (always select "Responsive Layout" under the Layout column)
• Suggested Search Keywords: Boilerplate, Bootstrap, Compass, Framework, Gridiculous, Hybrid Core, Kube, Skeleton, Starter, Underscores, Zurb Foundation
• Notes: "Starter" themes are intended to be a starting point for creating a new theme. "Framework" themes are intended to be a starting point for building child themes.

Deeper Dive at WordPress.org (https://wordpress.org/themes/)

• Description Tab - includes tags (i.e., feature filters)
• Stats Tab - download history
• Support Tab - forum for theme Q&As
• Reviews Tab - ratings and reviews
• Developers Tab
  Development Log (list of versions)
  Subversion Repository (text of all files for each version)
  Browse in Trac (can compare changes to files between versions)
  Zip Files for All Versions

• Trick - Direct Subversion Access to All Themes at https://themes.svn.wordpress.org/

Current Projects: Klasik

http://wordpress.org/themes/klasik
http://www.klasikthemes.com/framework/
http://robertredus.com/

• Theme framework
• Minimal Customizer settings plus a theme option panel, most changes are made using custom css/child theme
• Three post and page layouts and two page templates
• Standard, aside, image, link, quote, gallery, video and audio post formats
• Ten widget areas and ten custom widgets
• Homepage slider, portfolio page, WooCommerce ready and several recommended plugins

Current Projects: Supernova

http://wordpress.org/themes/supernova
http://supernovathemes.com/supernova-theme
http://lcva-nm.org/

• Designed for blogging, but flexible
• Some Customizer settings plus an extensive theme option panel
• Four page templates
• Four widget area and two custom widgets
• Nine color schemes, slider, built-in breadcrumbs, font re-sizer, seven ad code areas

Current Projects: Espied

http://wordpress.org/themes/espied
https://wordpress.com/themes/espied/
http://susanbreid.com/

• Portfolio theme that uses the Jetpack portfolio content (post) type
• Some Customizer settings
• Three page templates
• Standard, aside, image, video, quote, link and gallery post formats
• 22 social link icons in the flyout widget area

Current Projects: Decode

http://wordpress.org/themes/decode
http://scotthsmith.com/projects/decode/
http://bob.bluelotusworks.com/

• Minimal, mobile theme
• Extensive Customizer settings including icons that link to profiles at over 50 social sites
• Two columns (or one column with a flyout widget option) plus an explore page template that includes search, recent posts, monthly archives and categories
• Standard, aside, image, video, quote and link post formats
• Companion plugin, Decode Reply Tool, to initiate Twitter and App.net conversations

Current Projects: Theron Lite

http://wordpress.org/themes/theron-lite
http://www.towfiqi.com/theron-lite-free-wordpress-theme.html
http://bluelotusworks.com/

• "All-in-one" business or personal theme
• Some Customizer settings plus an extensive theme option panel
• Blog, full-width page, left sidebar, home page and contact page templates
• Three custom widgets and a footer widget area
• Three fonts, slider, and five shortcodes

Current Projects: The Bootstrap

https://wordpress.org/themes/the-bootstrap
http://en.wp.obenland.it/the-bootstrap/
http://rgkc.org/

• Grid layout based on Twitter Bootstrap
• Some Customizer settings
• Two-column layouts and a full-width template
• Standard, aside, chat, link, gallery, status, quote, image and video post formats
• Image page sidebar widget area

It's Time For Someone Else To Talk

 
 
 
QUESTIONS?