Making WordPress.org

Opened 10 years ago

Closed 7 years ago

#908 closed enhancement (fixed)

Theme directory improvements

Reported by: athemes's profile athemes Owned by:
Milestone: Priority: normal
Component: Theme Directory Keywords: ui-feedback
Cc:

Description

Hi,

I like the more visual approach to the theme directory, however there are a couple of things I feel have been overlooked.

Here's a screenshot of an old theme page: http://awesomescreenshot.com/0054iaahb5

There are two key pieces of information missing from the new pages: the link to the theme homepage and the last updated date.

The theme homepage link is important because the theme homepage almost always includes a link to the theme demo, which many users will want to see before downloading a theme. As we know, unfortunately, the native preview on the directory often doesn't do a great job of rendering a theme. So currently it is very difficult for users to know what the theme will look like when installed. Additionally, theme authors often use the theme homepage to go into more detail as to what features the theme has, link to documentation, etc.

The last updated date is also important because it shows that the theme is under active development and hasn't been abandoned.

So basically, I'm suggesting two things:
1) Bring back the theme homepage link so users can view a proper, working demo as well as learn more about the theme.
2) Bring back the last updated date so users know if the theme is been updated or not.

Hope this helps, and thanks for your efforts to improve the directory.

Attachments (1)

Screen Shot 2015-12-06 at 12.33.29 PM.png (39.2 KB) - added by obenland 9 years ago.

Download all attachments as: .zip

Change History (18)

#1 @Otto42
10 years ago

#906 was marked as a duplicate.

#2 @melchoyce
10 years ago

Hi @athemes, these items are all included in the directory mockups: https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2015/01/23/theme-directory-mockups/

The meta team has been working on rolling out all of the updates. Unsure what the timeline is for implementing the missing bits, such as theme homepage link and late updated date.

#3 follow-up: @obenland
10 years ago

@melchoyce, what could last updated and theme homepage look like without looking like it used to look?

#4 @Anariel Design
10 years ago

I would definitely agree with what the @athemes said. It all looks much better now, but those two things mentioned and especially theme homepage link are crucial for better user experience of the themes.

Authors spend significant chunk of time to present possibilities of their themes in the best light and to write good descriptions and help files for the themes as well. These are, I think, also quite big points when making decisions to try or not to try a certain theme. At the moment there`s unfortunately no way for users to access that.

@obenland, I think it looks fine in the mockups. You know what they say, if its not broken don`t fix it:). They may visually be a bit different, but I find it important that they stay prominent and easy to access as they were. Hope this helps a bit!

Thanks for all the great work!

#5 in reply to: ↑ 3 ; follow-up: @melchoyce
10 years ago

Replying to obenland:

@melchoyce, what could last updated and theme homepage look like without looking like it used to look?

I can take a look at this on Friday. Just curious, what about this isn't working? https://cloudup.com/cwNkI4_JL0F Will help me figure out a better design.

#6 @edge22
10 years ago

Love the way that looks, @melchoyce! Would be stoked to see it implemented.

#7 in reply to: ↑ 5 @obenland
10 years ago

Replying to melchoyce:

Just curious, what about this isn't working?

It's not aligned, the date format is poor, we don't use that › anywhere else in the new Directory (at least not that I'm aware of), it feels like we couldn't find a better place for that information and just listed it there (most of the other info is a bit more integrated), and most importantly it has this musty smell of the old Directory.

#8 @edge22
10 years ago

Hope I'm not intruding or anything, just have some extra time and the look of this interests me :)

The downloads and theme homepage info is pretty important to show near the top in my opinion, but the last updated could definitely go somewhere else.

Something like this uses the styles of the current theme directory, but I guess it might still have that lingering musty old directory smell you speak of? ;)

http://generatepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/sample-theme-info.png

#9 follow-up: @Anariel Design
10 years ago

If I may add, I think in this case it would probably be better to give priority to these important bits of information over the design decision. In other words to bring back theme homepage link and update info as they were and then once the design decision is made simply replace them.

Considering the fuss that it created on the forums I`m sure users as well as authors would appreciate that and endure that musty old directory smell for a couple more days:)

#10 in reply to: ↑ 9 @melchoyce
10 years ago

Replying to obenland:

It's not aligned, the date format is poor, we don't use that › anywhere else in the new Directory (at least not that I'm aware of), it feels like we couldn't find a better place for that information and just listed it there (most of the other info is a bit more integrated), and most importantly it has this musty smell of the old Directory.

I'm not sure what it's not aligned to, but I'm happy to take another look at designing this info. I just might need a couple days to get to it.

FWIW, here's the "order of importance" I had in mind when designing the original mockups.

Replying to Anariel Design:

If I may add, I think in this case it would probably be better to give priority to these important bits of information over the design decision. In other words to bring back theme homepage link and update info as they were and then once the design decision is made simply replace them.

Considering the fuss that it created on the forums I`m sure users as well as authors would appreciate that and endure that musty old directory smell for a couple more days:)

I totally agree. Something is better than nothing until I can work on a better design.

#11 @ThemeZee
10 years ago

I wanted to open a ticket about that just now :)

+1 to adding the last updated info and link to theme homepage, they are definitely needed.

#12 @obenland
10 years ago

In 1383:

WP.org Themes: Add last_updated and theme_url to single themes.

Is in need of a design upgrade.

See #908, #953.

#13 @Anariel Design
10 years ago

Thanks for bringing those back to life! Cheers!

#14 @obenland
10 years ago

  • Keywords ui-feedback added

#15 @melchoyce
9 years ago

Anything in this thread that still needs to be done?

#16 @obenland
9 years ago

I think that area in single theme view could use a re-think. Currently its a loose assembly of links and random information. It looks like a dumping ground for things that don't fit in anywhere else. Which it essentially is.

#17 @melchoyce
7 years ago

  • Resolution set to fixed
  • Status changed from new to closed

Closing this because it was fixed in the redesign. @obenland if you have specific feedback about that area, please open up another ticket.

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