Ian Stewart of Themeshaper.com wants to know, what do you really need in a WordPress starter theme? It’s an interesting question to ask these days because of the wide assortment of not only starter themes, but theme frameworks that are available. Two years ago, theme developers were using themes that they created themselves. While that still occurs today, many are using themes such as Genesis to build out websites.
Most of the blogs/sites allow or even require user registration, and once this happens: BANG! non-admin users have full look into Admin Panel where they can see all the set-ups, stats and earnings if the relevant plugins are installed. I know what one can say – if the admin can install google ad-sense plugin probably will pick-up another theme or will install plugin to sort out the problem but anyway…
Starter theme should:
– allow the admin to chose which elements of the Admin Panel remain visible to the users, or
– offer alternative theme for non-admins, which should/could be kept in the same aesthetic outlines and display the same logo as the site is using. This include the login screen.
Avoiding WordPress logo flashing at ‘registered-user-to-be’ is very confusing as the person gets an impression of being redirected to some other service – especially those first time signing-up to WP based service.
Not mention active bloggers, writting for many WP build blogs who have to pay additional attention as ‘all the sites look the same’ in regards of the log-in screen.
Furthermore, site-wide use of site logo is fundamental for building proper and deep user-site relation.
Wordpress logo still can be used but rather in bottom line.
The theme delivering above functionalities could become a real hit. I definitely would use such theme.
P.D.
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Starter themes must begin by being responsive to the growing number of tablets and smartphones.