Going back to the basics
Hi Gary,
I saw this site awhile back but I did not really have time to participate. However, I like the ideas you were trying to develop in the zukakakina so I thought it was just appropriate that you became the moderator of this site.
One of the reasons that prompted me to come here today is the announcement of the mediawiki format clone. I like its simple format, and I hope it is not too bloated like the other themes. More important, I hope it really is more flexible to accept add-ons like some other CMS layouts are able to do.
For example, I have opted to use the Coppermine PhotoGallery instead of using the internal image gallery of Tikiwiki, for a number of reasons. It has a module feature that allows the photos in the database to be ported to outside website, for example those running in SMF Forums, PHPBB, WordPress, Mambo, Xoop just to name a few. The script is PHP based though, just like many of the "randomizers" I was considering. My trials with the "wiki" indicate that this could be done mainly on the "php file" so that it could be inserted mainly through the php files of tikiwiki — so that is global for all pages, rather than specific, as is achieved with the "Dynamic Content System". We started exploring this issue in some of the threads in the main forum, but I got busy the past few weeks. I will explore this further with you because it is more related to layout presentation, thus of themes.
I posted some general outline of my ideas on template building in another post. If I responded to your general post here, it is more to persuade you perhaps as a moderator to also take on another project — that of re-evaluating the whole concept of generating theme layouts, and perhaps to devote as much attention on this. The long term goal should be to eventually influence the way Admin control panel is designed as it affects the layouting.
The basic issues are the same: How to encourage flexibility, originality, portability and simplicity. I saw you exploring this with your experimentations on the layout in Zukakakina and I hope there would be as much emphasis on exchanging ideas regarding these issues, and not just presentation of new themes.
The goal must be ease of development from the perspective of the and ease of use by the visitors. This will require that we will be able to distinguish the basic elements of a good layout from those that are mere whistles and bells.
My true measure of success of this site is when every Tikiwiki website can develop a unique layout just like Rick has done with his page — without a person really needing so much expertise in scripting to do that, and perhaps with simple tools, like creating simple logos, without the need to invest in a photoshop.
cgc0202