Too many themes

[chancre_scolex]

There are way too many themes in the downloads section with the same set of icons for every one. The only thing that varies is the wallpaper. Therefor, they should be put in the WALLPAPER section.

[Reako]

Agreed. Unless you modified the icons for the theme then please just post your wallpaper in the appropriate section.

Reako

[Sidetalker]

I concur. Together, the three of us, SHALL PUT AN END TO THIS MADNESS

[Reako]

I will use the PIMP hand via internet if need be. Don't tempt me.

Reako

[Dash-2]

I don't like these "themes" either.
Let me talk to cash/pf and see if we can set up a rule:

Only upload icons once. Add the wallpaper to our wallpaper section and make a thread posting all of them.

What do you guys think?

[mcdj]

Agree 100%. I've never uploaded anything, so I'm not sure, but if there's no way to edit your upload, maybe that's one reason there's so many nearly duplicate themes and version 1,2,3, etc.

Also, themes that offer the same icon sets in different opacities/colors schemes/etc could be grouped into one post.

[armadillo]

Frankly, the downloads section is in a terrible state. Most so-called themes aren't actually themes. The few themes there are, are very limited in scope and often just cover the standard apps. As soon as a new app pops up that one would like to keep, the theme just breaks, because very few people provide icons for all apps. Unfortunately, there is no way of telling how complete a theme is. IMHO, the situation can only be improved if we create a "Featured" section in which only complete icon sets are tolerated and posters commit to update the themes/icon sets (as a rule of thumb, a complete theme must include at least 90% of all icons distributed through the official community sources). Everything else can go into usual sections. I would also like to suggest to extend the featured status to exceptionally high quality batteries, calculators, keyboards, dialers, etc.

[Reako]

Armadillo hit it right on the nail. Almost like a VIP section. I would insist this be regulated by Mods only. You must have permission to upload a file, OR, have the MODS upload the file themselves so it does not get out of hand.

Reako

[Jasper44]

The themes section of the downloads need a complete re-do. It's almost to the point where we can no longer scold a new person who posts a useless thread asking for something they could easily find in the downloads section because it's no longer easy to find something.

[unknownentry]

There are way too many themes in the downloads section with the same set of icons for every one. The only thing that varies is the wallpaper. Therefor, they should be put in the WALLPAPER section.

I have been pushing this idea ever since SummerBoard came out and nobody listened to me. I told Loring and some others to start making themes this way and to try and get people on board doing them this way! I have uploaded numerous sport themes with the same icons simply because people were requesting them at the time, but I am deleting them from MMi since the "New Way" is coming in effect. I am now trying to get it implemented on Installer. There needs to be a section for SummerBoard Icons, SummerBoard Themes (Specific Themes w/ theme related icons), and Wallpapers (There is already a OS X Wallpaper Pack on Installer), SummerBoard Docks, SummerBoard Status Bars.

Refer to http://iphonesurge.com/index.php/Downloads/SummerBoard/

I hope this gets implemented because the whole point of modding the iPhone is to have it customized how you prefer it. With ONLY SummerBoard Icons, then you can pick and choose icons and then switch wallpapers from the Setting > Wallpapers menu on the iPhone!

[jayjaythemac]

i guess i will voice my thought as well. i make alot of the themes.. and mite i add that people requst alot of them.. iknow that i use the same set of icons but i figures if someone wanted diff icons they would say.i didnt know there was a rule for themes that said u need diff icons everytime u make a theme as far as people not liking the themes well each is entitled to their own idea but i dont know if it is good idea to bash them for trying.. i have decided i will just start doing wallpapers instead. i am with unkownentry about this idea of havin a wallpapers download section.. i really enjoy making these or people so let meknow what i can do to help

[armadillo]

There is a general misconception about the term "theme". A theme involves a lot more than icons + wallpaper. Icons and wallpaper must blend and be thematically related. In other words, the wallpaper cannot be exchanged easily (unless it blends with the icons as the orifibnal concept). To give you an example: If you design a theme that uses a bookshelf, then all of the icons need to be represented by items you can place in a bookshelf. You can't have a sun or the moon or a waterfall as icon.

If you have an icon set, then upload the icon set and let people decide what they want to use as wallpaper. But uploading 20 themes with identical icons and a separate wallpaper with each theme close to 1MB isn't the most efficient way of distribution. Just submit the wallpaper separately.