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Best WordPress theme?

Posted by LunchHourBytes • 4/23/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: themes, wordpress theme

My blog is just six weeks old and I'm currently using Neoclassical, and I do like it a lot, but I keep seeing ads for Thesis and wonder if it would be different enough to pay for. What is the best Wordpress theme in your opinion?

User Comments

4/23/09

timethief

IMHO there is no single wordpress theme that can be labeled "the best" for every type of blog in every type of niche. There are hundreds of wordpress themes to choose from and some will be more suitable to showcase a certain type of content than others will be.

Also functionality is an issue so without knowing what your blog contents are like and why you wish to change themes, and/or what functionality or features you require in a new theme, I am at a loss when it comes to suggesting one.

When choosing a theme there are some points I use to evaluate them that I can share with you and they are found in this post:
How to Become a Better Blogger 6: Theme Evaluation
onecoolsite.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/how-to-become-a-better-blogger-6-theme...

When it comes to theme selection all themes in this theme directory are free and under GPL licensing and contain no sponsored links or hidden links. wordpress.org/extend/themes/

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4/23/09

avecchioni

I looked at a lot of wordpress themes before settling on Cutline 3-Column Split 1.1

If you want to see what it looks like, just click through my avatar. One of the things I like is the dimensions of the header image, which I have set to rotate as viewers navigate to different pages/ posts.

And, if you didn't already know, you can practically bank on anything timethief has to say about wordpress.

[reply]
1. 4/23/09
  
  timethief
  
  @avecchioni
  Thanks so much for the compliment. In case you missed it there's a tutorial on image headers for Cutline up on my blog right now and there are some free headers in it you may want to check out
  onecoolsite.wordpress.com/2009/04/17/personalizing-your-wordpresscom-blog-p...
4/23/09

tread2007

I like finding one, and customizing to where it doesn't look like the original theme.

TheFreelanceHand.com

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4/24/09

LunchHourBytes

Thanks all - Looks like I have some enjoyable reading ahead of me.

[reply]
1. 4/24/09
  
  timethief
  
  @lunchhourbites
  When you have come up with a list of the features you want and the style it will become easier to narrow down the choices. Are you adept at HTML and CSS editing or are you looking for a theme that you can use "out of the box"?
2. 4/25/09
  
  LunchHourBytes
  
  @timethief
  I am not at all adept at HTML and CSS editing. I'd like a theme that I can use out of the box, or even one that has lots of options I could pick from here and there as I have time. My time to work on my blog and read blogs is about an hour a day, and that get interrupted, so the simpler the better, for now. Neoclassical is wonderful - but if it were only two columns I'd consider it "perfect." Perhaps Cutline is what I should go to when I have some correctly sized header pics ready.
  
  Thanks for your help!
4/24/09

EntrepreneurNovice

Thesis is about customization as far as I understand, but it requires some little knowledge. I'm trying on one of my blog but didn't get far at the moment so cannot really tell yet.

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4/27/09

abhinavsood

Well, if you're still looking for a theme - then I'd strongly recommend taking a look at Imagination theme by CSSJockey!

tr.im/imagination

It is feature-rich, amazingly fast and highly customizable and absolutely FREE. You don't need to know the 'P' of programming to use or modify it!

Also, it is fully compliant with the latest web standards (xHTML/CSS/RSS valid) and is fully functional on Internet Explorer 6 as well!

tr.im/imagination

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7/31/09

sharebrain

Hello,
i started a new website where i review premium wordpress themes.. so if you look for a high quality wordpress theme just have a look and maybe it helps you : header-footer.com

greetings,
thomas

[reply]
7/31/09

DeadRooster

I love the LOOKS of my theme, but I've got it rigged up with so much bailing wire and bread sticks that it could crumble at any moment.

I will love it 'til the day it blows up.

[reply]
1. 7/31/09
  
  timethief
2. 7/31/09
  
  DeadRooster
  
  I really do love it, but it doesn't support a lot of the newer plugins and its creator has discontinued this particular theme. Drat!
3. 7/31/09
  
  timethief
4. 7/31/09
  
  DeadRooster
  
  I'm a minimalist too, but I can't run things like Gravatars in my comments and other standards.
  
  No, I wrote "widgets" but I meant "plugins." I don't run any widgets on my blog other than a single BlogCatalog widget.
7/31/09

CreativeJunkie

My blog uses the Thesis theme.

What I like about it:

You can get it to look anyway you want
Comes with a support forum
Any changes you make survive any upgrade to the theme

What I don't like about it:

It's pricey.
While there is support, sometimes it's slow to the point you are waiting over a day for a response.
It's marketed to newbies/beginners as well as the advanced. Well, I'm about as newbie as they come and I tore my hair out over it. Then again, my brain just simply cannot wrap itself around CSS.

You really need to know CSS in order to tweak Thesis so that it doesn't look like the default theme.

All in all, I'm happy with it. The back end of it is very user friendly and it's a snap to change your basic structure, like going from a 2 column to a 3 column, etc.

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