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New EE 2 theme based on 1.6.X original nearing completion. Suggestions?

April 28, 2010 3:54am

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  • #1 / Apr 28, 2010 3:54am

    Todd D.

    460 posts

    In my spare time over the past couple weeks I have been working on an ExpressionEngine 2 theme that closely mirrors the original 1.6.x branch that was beautifully crafted by Jesse Bennett Chamberlain.

    In my opinion, the EE2 themes are just not cutting it. If it’s not broken… why fix it? While opinions may differ, I have decided to recreate a version of the theme for EE 2 that Jesse created for EE 1.6. The new theme is about 80% complete.

    The new theme will also by default show the site name in the upper left hand corner of the Control Panel… similar to the way the CP looked if one had installed LG Site Name.

    I’m looking for any thoughts and/or suggestions on what others would like to see in a new EE2 theme.

  • #2 / Apr 28, 2010 5:41am

    artminister

    159 posts

    Nice work Todd.

    Frankly speaking, i love EE1.6 theme over EE 2 theme. I would like my EE 2 theme to exactly the same as EE 1.6.8. 😊

  • #3 / Apr 28, 2010 7:25am

    Ben Lilley

    214 posts

    Excited to see how this looks when it’s done as I completely agree regarding the EE 2 themes.

    One small thing I noticed in your screen shot is that the collapse/open field icons don’t really align with anything and look a little untidy. That’s a very minor nitpick though.

    Thanks for taking the time to build this, looking very promising.

  • #4 / Apr 28, 2010 8:10am

    Ana Lucia

    21 posts

    F-a-n-ta-s-t-i-c! EE 2.x panel theme its so UGLY !!!! A pseudo-try to make a web 2.0 interface, but too late…FAIL!
    Congratulations! Please, finish soon !!! 😉

  • #5 / Apr 28, 2010 9:26am

    John Henry Donovan

    12339 posts

    Have you guys seen the Corporate theme which was also done by Jesse. Its available in your Downloads

  • #6 / Apr 28, 2010 10:22am

    Todd D.

    460 posts

    Yes, in fact the Corporate theme provided a nice starting point for building this retro version. While corporate is an improvement over the other themes… its still not as good as the original theme Jesse did.

  • #7 / Apr 28, 2010 7:13pm

    Ben Lilley

    214 posts

    Have you guys seen the Corporate theme which was also done by Jesse. Its available in your Downloads

    Yep, it’s definitely the best of the bunch, but still not a completely polished implementation.

  • #8 / Apr 29, 2010 4:04am

    Ana Lucia

    21 posts

    Corporate theme is nice, but i have it the impression whith was builded in the rush-time, in the last hour, because the critic about default new thema was huge…please, finish it !

  • #9 / Apr 30, 2010 8:01pm

    Derek Jones

    7561 posts

    Corporate theme is nice, but i have it the impression whith was builded in the rush-time, in the last hour, because the critic about default new thema was huge…please, finish it !

    Actually the majority of the feedback we’ve gotten over the new themes is positive.  But we also realize that it is impossible to appeal to everyone’s tastes.  Good design is nearly always polarizing.  It’s when the majority of people are disinterested and you have neither fans nor detractors that you know you’ve missed the mark.

    And nice work, Todd - when you’ve finished, please shoot me an email.

  • #10 / May 03, 2010 1:02am

    Ana Lucia

    21 posts

    Actually the majority of the feedback we’ve gotten over the new themes is positive.

    Can we do it a open poll about the new themes qualifications?
    This will be so interesting….and maybe a surprise for you 😉

  • #11 / May 03, 2010 11:44am

    Derek Jones

    7561 posts

    Actually the majority of the feedback we’ve gotten over the new themes is positive.

    Can we do it a open poll about the new themes qualifications?
    This will be so interesting….and maybe a surprise for you 😉

    We’ve had polls and elicited feedback over the course of a year or more, you aren’t going to surprise me, as I related above.

  • #12 / May 03, 2010 1:30pm

    Ana Lucia

    21 posts

    The husband is the last to know…

    Well, lets go:

    Really, i saw in the forum and another sites about EE hard critcs about the new default interface. Like i saw in this forum, just to citate a couple, here: http://ellislab.com/forums/viewreply/365330/
    and here http://ellislab.com/forums/viewreply/365335/
    And are 2 guys with hard knowledge about EE…

    But you will found more about this critics in twitter…

    I dont like the colors, the combination its horrible. For ME its like a interface for teenagers.
    The corporate theme its a little bit better, to serious users.

    Look, nothing about the Verlee’s works, really i like your style, but just for graphic design. Design for interfaces its very more complex.

    I dont plan in this moment, to build a alternative to this, because i just buyed EE to know the system and offer EE like a differential to my clients(today i build sites using Modx and CMSBuilder)and coming soon i will start a service online offering commercial EE Site Themes (yeah baby, im working hard here) and webdeveloping/design packages for EE users - but maybe in the future i can offer a CP customized theme like a plus to my future EE clients.

    But really, i prefer the interface style of Brandon Kelly (im your client, too), with for me, was a better option to build the new EE interface or even the company/designer with do it the default 1.6.x theme (team with wins, dont change it)...but its just my insignificant 2 cents…

    And i really, really sorry (SO MUCH!) for dont participate in the EE Beta feedbacks…

    PS: Good design for me its like the Beetle car. Was old? Yes. But was so good with they just repaginate it. The essential, the design concept was preserved. Think in do it a training to a final user and some months later do it a new training again, because all changed…(just the final user point of view)

  • #13 / May 03, 2010 2:04pm

    Ana Lucia

    21 posts

    Just a extra words: if the default design of EE 2.0 is so good, i dont think with somebody will spend your precious time developing a cp theme like the “old” theme, just for nostalgia. Run, Todd, run !

  • #14 / May 06, 2010 11:30am

    Ana Lucia

    21 posts

    Todd, any progress? I will have it some time in next weeks…so i thinking in create a new CP Theme for 2.0 too…but i think in do it a theme inspired in the interface of CMS Builder (http://www.interactivetools.com)

  • #15 / May 06, 2010 11:52am

    nathanpitman

    531 posts

    Bump, any progress with this… I agree that the new EE2 themes are overly designed so would love to see something which more closely mimics the simplicity of EE1.

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