Comments on: Theme ethics http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/ online portfolio of Julian Klewes Sat, 10 Sep 2011 13:50:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: It’s Official. Sponsored WordPress Themes Are Out. « Lorelle on WordPress http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-885 It’s Official. Sponsored WordPress Themes Are Out. « Lorelle on WordPress Thu, 12 Jul 2007 06:41:24 +0000 http://www.h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/#comment-885 [...] h4X3d.com - Theme Ethics [...] [...] h4X3d.com – Theme Ethics [...]

]]> By: WordPress Wednesday News: WordPress 2.2 Due Monday, Sponsored WordPress Themes, WordPress.com Splog Fighter, and More at The Blog Herald http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-884 WordPress Wednesday News: WordPress 2.2 Due Monday, Sponsored WordPress Themes, WordPress.com Splog Fighter, and More at The Blog Herald Thu, 19 Apr 2007 02:08:34 +0000 http://www.h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/#comment-884 [...] h4X3d.com - Theme Ethics [...] [...] h4X3d.com – Theme Ethics [...]

]]> By: Cameron http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-880 Cameron Thu, 12 Apr 2007 08:46:58 +0000 http://www.h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/#comment-880 I sure hope Lisa Sabin-Wilson gives her new book away for free and not generate income for a third party publisher. Of course she could leave her own name on the cover. After all she DID write it.... I sure hope Lisa Sabin-Wilson gives her new book away for free and not generate income for a third party publisher. Of course she could leave her own name on the cover. After all she DID write it….

]]> By: h4x3d.com | Theme ethics part 2 http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-881 h4x3d.com | Theme ethics part 2 Thu, 12 Apr 2007 08:16:34 +0000 http://www.h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/#comment-881 [...] I wrote some weeks ago in my article about theme ethics I am really annoyed by all those sponsored [...] [...] I wrote some weeks ago in my article about theme ethics I am really annoyed by all those sponsored [...]

]]> By: Billy http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-882 Billy Mon, 09 Apr 2007 21:28:16 +0000 http://www.h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/#comment-882 I used to have a sponsered theme on my old website. Needless to say I removed the link. My thinking was that it was on my website and my domain, which I pay for, so why should I give free advertising to something I don't endorse? The person who designed the theme already received their money, so it was no skin off their nose. But I like the idea of contacting the sponser and asking how much they're willing to pay you to keep the link on your website! Isn't the whole point of the CCL that you can freely edit the theme so long as you leave the original designer's name intact? Well, that's what I did. My new domain however just uses a regular WP theme without a sponsered link. It's up to the user to have AdSense or whatever on their own site, but I prefer my website to be ad-free (it's a personal website and I get paid enough to keep it running). I used to have a sponsered theme on my old website. Needless to say I removed the link. My thinking was that it was on my website and my domain, which I pay for, so why should I give free advertising to something I don’t endorse? The person who designed the theme already received their money, so it was no skin off their nose. But I like the idea of contacting the sponser and asking how much they’re willing to pay you to keep the link on your website! Isn’t the whole point of the CCL that you can freely edit the theme so long as you leave the original designer’s name intact? Well, that’s what I did. My new domain however just uses a regular WP theme without a sponsered link. It’s up to the user to have AdSense or whatever on their own site, but I prefer my website to be ad-free (it’s a personal website and I get paid enough to keep it running).

]]> By: Yoru http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-879 Yoru Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:56:29 +0000 http://www.h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/#comment-879 Hi jez, thanks for the comment on my entry. I think the most brilliant option a user could choose is what <a href="http://www.sassylawyer.com/2007/04/06/sponsored-wordpress-themes" rel="nofollow">she advocates</a> - to totally boycott themes with sponsored (spam) links. Now, as long as there are no obvious rules in the ThemeViewer that "this and that" are not to be uploaded and distributed under the site's banner, these spam adverts will continue to proliferate the community, and yes, it's really sad. If the concerned people could only do something, just like what <a href="http://wpdesigner.com" rel="nofollow">Small Potato</a> does. I mean, could we not start a petition or something? Hi jez, thanks for the comment on my entry. I think the most brilliant option a user could choose is what she advocates – to totally boycott themes with sponsored (spam) links.

Now, as long as there are no obvious rules in the ThemeViewer that “this and that” are not to be uploaded and distributed under the site’s banner, these spam adverts will continue to proliferate the community, and yes, it’s really sad.

If the concerned people could only do something, just like what Small Potato does. I mean, could we not start a petition or something?

]]> By: Garry Conn http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-878 Garry Conn Fri, 06 Apr 2007 06:11:37 +0000 http://www.h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/#comment-878 Thanks for spreading the word about this... Also... I have had some time to think about better ways with dealing with the links... The NOFOLLOW is a great idea... and instead of using the small tag, why not just use the comment out tag! LOL!!! The idea came to me a few weeks ago and I wanted to slap myself because it was so over looked. They say, "Don't remove the links", I say... Ok. Fine... but I can add comment out tags around your links! LOL and add NOFOLLOW, thus making it totally invisible and not 'linkable'. What's up with the Theme Viewer? Man, that site totally cashed in and sold out. That was one of my favorite places to visit. I was one of the few that would really keep things real... I would comment every day, offering constructive feedback to the authors. Yes, I am sure I bent people the wrong way from time to time... but it's feedback... I would never say something negative without offering the author a suggested solution to a problem. Meaning, I would never say, "Your Theme Sucks", and be done with it. I would point out the positives and congrats them on that.. and point out the negatives and offer my thoughts about how to improve. You can no longer comment on the site... which is stupid. How can an author learn without hearing the input from his viewers? Thus, Theme "<strong>Viewer</strong>". No Comments, Tons of Google Adsense just slapped up through out the site... I just can't believe what is happening to the Wordpress Community. I really can't.... it's sad. I really am a huge fan of Wordpress and it is sad to say, but I think I am fighting a losing battle. Spam is everywhere... and it has now infected the Wordpress Community. :( Thanks for spreading the word about this…

Also… I have had some time to think about better ways with dealing with the links… The NOFOLLOW is a great idea… and instead of using the small tag, why not just use the comment out tag! LOL!!!

The idea came to me a few weeks ago and I wanted to slap myself because it was so over looked. They say, “Don’t remove the links”, I say… Ok. Fine… but I can add comment out tags around your links! LOL and add NOFOLLOW, thus making it totally invisible and not ‘linkable’.

What’s up with the Theme Viewer? Man, that site totally cashed in and sold out. That was one of my favorite places to visit.

I was one of the few that would really keep things real… I would comment every day, offering constructive feedback to the authors. Yes, I am sure I bent people the wrong way from time to time… but it’s feedback…

I would never say something negative without offering the author a suggested solution to a problem. Meaning, I would never say, “Your Theme Sucks”, and be done with it. I would point out the positives and congrats them on that.. and point out the negatives and offer my thoughts about how to improve.

You can no longer comment on the site… which is stupid. How can an author learn without hearing the input from his viewers? Thus, Theme “Viewer“.

No Comments, Tons of Google Adsense just slapped up through out the site… I just can’t believe what is happening to the WordPress Community. I really can’t…. it’s sad.

I really am a huge fan of WordPress and it is sad to say, but I think I am fighting a losing battle. Spam is everywhere… and it has now infected the WordPress Community. :(

]]> By: Chris http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-877 Chris Wed, 28 Mar 2007 19:03:51 +0000 http://www.h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/#comment-877 Very timely. I've been going through theme submissions to my site (including yours) and the last five have all been "sponsored" themes. It was so annoying that I added verbiage to my contact form that we won't feature any themes that link anywhere other than the author's site or sites of authors of creative elements used in the site (e.g. a link to the original for a port). Very timely. I’ve been going through theme submissions to my site (including yours) and the last five have all been “sponsored” themes. It was so annoying that I added verbiage to my contact form that we won’t feature any themes that link anywhere other than the author’s site or sites of authors of creative elements used in the site (e.g. a link to the original for a port).

]]> By: jez http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-875 jez Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:13:39 +0000 http://www.h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/#comment-875 Thanks for the quick response and follow up. Please keep me informed about any progress you make. Thanks a lot! Thanks for the quick response and follow up. Please keep me informed about any progress you make. Thanks a lot!

]]> By: Lisa Sabin-Wilson http://h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/comment-page-1/#comment-876 Lisa Sabin-Wilson Tue, 20 Mar 2007 23:59:22 +0000 http://www.h4x3d.com/theme-ethics/#comment-876 ThemeSpam, I call it. I'm actually in the process of writing 'WordPress for Dummies" - due to be published this summer.. and I address the emergence of ThemeSpam in hopes of warning theme users about the practice. Note - I'm not warning them *against* using the themes... but, rather, warning them to keep and eye out for those sponsored links. Why the warning? Google is one reason. Another reason is... hey, it's MY blog and if I want don't want to support a Credit Card scam on my, I'm not going to and I defy anyone to make me do it just because I'm using a free WP theme. If the theme author makes enough of a fuss - I'll stop using the theme - either way, their paid sponsor won't get the link off my site. The 'warning' in the book is just simply bringing this practice to the attention of potential theme users who read it - - <strike>buyer</strike>user beware, and all that. Cheers! ThemeSpam, I call it. I’m actually in the process of writing ‘WordPress for Dummies” – due to be published this summer.. and I address the emergence of ThemeSpam in hopes of warning theme users about the practice. Note – I’m not warning them *against* using the themes… but, rather, warning them to keep and eye out for those sponsored links. Why the warning? Google is one reason. Another reason is… hey, it’s MY blog and if I want don’t want to support a Credit Card scam on my, I’m not going to and I defy anyone to make me do it just because I’m using a free WP theme. If the theme author makes enough of a fuss – I’ll stop using the theme – either way, their paid sponsor won’t get the link off my site. The ‘warning’ in the book is just simply bringing this practice to the attention of potential theme users who read it – - buyeruser beware, and all that.

Cheers!

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