Why are most themes in 2-column??

you support guys/girls get a hellva lot MORE requests for help from newbies using WP than one CLEAN LOOKING Theme.
Wanna bet ?
The default theme looks clean – we get thousands of questions just on that.
Blix ? We get lots too.

And I for one don’t care how “clean looking” it is – if it doesn’t work properly, predictably and be usable for your average person then it should not have been released.

You pose an interesting point of view, podz.

While I agree that all themes should be… “properly, predictably and be usable for your average person“… Ia€?m interested in knowing how one defines an average person?

In terms of knowledge, what would be the clear benchmark required before allowing said person to use publicly offered themes?

Ia€?m also interested in knowing how one defines a theme to be a€?properly, predictably and be usablea€?. I encountered nil problems with Kubrick’s or Blix theme a€“ but I also know CSS & HTML. Ia€?ve also learned the basics to php, which up until I actually became a WP member I didna€?t know existed.

On the whole I try to self-resolve my own issues, even if it takes me days or weeks before I concede and actually submit a support request.

On a purely educational note, it would be interesting to run a Poll on theme usability by wordpress members. As part of this Poll there should be a section that asks to what degree of CSS & HTML & php knowledge one has.

Perhaps then there might be a clearer understanding as to where the majority of problems arise – theme or something else. What do you think?

IF I were podz I would mean that the theme should come “fully assembled and in proper working order” regardless of the user’s level of expertise – which some do not.

I haven’t used or perused Blix so I don’t have any input on it, but as long as WP is fully customizeable and not “They can have any color they want, as long as it is black” there will be “support” (do it for me) questions.

I have been around quite awhile and it seems the majority of problems are not really “problems” but the inexperienced attempting changes, often major, in both the css and php output. That lack of experience often results in new threads started without doing much, if any, “legwork” on one’s own. This includes the simple task of searching for an answer before posting (at least 3 threads on the sidebar “dropping” in IE were started today). That’s just the way ’tis.

On that I agree. Most threads started in your forums are by members attempting major changes to their beloved themes, and doing so without knowledge or understanding on how things work. I also agree that the majority of threads started in the forums are by some – not all – members who haven’t taken the time to learn required aspects of this new toy.

So you’re completely right. That’s just the way it is.

What Beel said ??

I’d add that I know no php, but I do know how to reverse my mistakes.

“As part of this Poll there should be a section that asks to what degree of CSS & HTML & php knowledge one has.”
Anyone who said ‘excellent’ to CSS … in comparison to who ? Eric Meyer ? Dave Shea ? Me ? You ?

There still persists this ridiculous notion that people need to know PHP to use WordPress, yet no-one says they need to know Perl to use MT, or .NET to use Sharpreader, or C# to use a zillion other programs.

Nor is it implied that members need know css & html in order to use wordpress, but knowing both would certainly help, and Ia€?d imagine, cut down on the influx of support requests that stem from theme changes. As a support maven, one who puts in hours of volunteer time you would surely have to agree.

Footnote:
Ia€?m not here to start quarrels or create disharmony. As a new member I was under the impression that an open invitation was extended to all to join in on forum topics and conversations so to enrich WordPress with different views, opinions and knowledge.

Whilst I made reference to the fact that I had undertaken learning of php for myself, I did not in any way make reference that everyone should undertake this learning curve in order to establish a website powered by WordPress. I have done so simply because it interested me and nothing more.

I may not be a support maven but I would like to think that I can contribute something to this project, even if my something challenges people to think in broader terms.

I’m not picking any arguments either ??
It gets frustrating when we see people say “My sidebar is wrong but I don’t know PHP to fix it”. It’s not entirely their fault they think that way and just that frame of thinking means people cannot start to see the actual problem.

Like Beel (and others) I’ve been here a while and despite the fact that the forums are very busy, the nature of the questions changes over time. 18 months ago, we had CHMOD questions coming out of our ears, then CSS leapt to the fore and now it’s what you see. I think the other part of the equation is that people neither expect their work to break nor expect to have to fix it. I’m sure like me that you have learned more by breaking something than not. The fact that many many sites get direct help from here yet never mention that fact also leads others to believe that it is all ‘simple’ when in fact it’s all quite complex at times.

There are actually many themes out there for which I cannot recall a single forum request for help with. This could mean that their users have searched and found, but it also reflects that for some themes their authors have taken time to write clean, well-commented css, that they have put a README into the theme folder too so that when a user wants to change something, all the major pointers are there. It’s no secret that I dislike the default css simply because it is not written with the ‘default’ user in mind – with a lot of comments, some reorganisation and a decent README it would be fine – as it is it still causes problems for people.

And I don’t mind questions about theme changes – they mean that we can sometimes come across new ways of doing things – but what I mind a lot is the same theme generating the same questions over and over. I would bet that if we required that everyone here who had received help must display a “Fixed by the Forums” button then theme authors (among others) may take more care – if they want their url everywhere and any kudos that goes with it, then do the work and earn it please.

And every contribution here is very welcome ??

I’m smiling a€“ grinning actually – because when you get going, you flow.

Podz, in case no one has mentioned this before, your input and vast knowledge of wordpress – as well as other topics – is greatly appreciated, even when you’re feeling incredibly frustrated. Kudos for keeping it in check when helping the unenlightened.

I do ? ??

With regard to your second point, the thanks has to go to everyone who takes the time to come here and answer a question. In a discussion in #wordpress recently, the point was made that while coding has some l33tn3ss attached to it, support is a thankless task. I disagreed. I said that Matt may be a hero to many for what he does with WP, but everyone who answers a question for someone becomes their hero too. It never fails to make me smile when I see a “THANKS!!!!” or similar here and I would be amazed if others didn’t like that either. (Which is another reason why it is so very important that people come back – it not only helps close out threads but can also act as an incentive for someone to answer another question).
The forums overall are due to the input and behaviour of the vast majority of users – not just a few individuals.

And as for frustration – it beats all of us at times – and as twee as this sounds, if you can remember that a question is only difficult when you don’t know the answer, if you have that answer, help ??

Very interesting thread to read, here. I see WP’s little nuances as a fun puzzle. Not knowing php or css properly makes it all the more exciting… ??