I’m happy that the (default) template question is back again.
I’d like to second some contributors of this thread and push in their direction
with another summary in 3 questions:
===================
1. Which type of clients expressionengine wants to target?
2. Why there is a need for professional out-of-the-box templates?
3. Who has to be in the template business?
===================
1. Which type of clients expressionengine wants to target?
a) professional webdeveloppers & webdesigners
b) professional users with little or any design skills
(who want to put dynamic content quickly on the web and can’t/don’t want to hire a webdesigner with ee skills)
c) non-professional users with little or any design skills
d) others
If it is not only type a) go on to the following question:
2. Why there is a need for professional well designed out-of-the-box templates for ee?
a- Many professionals, especially small companies and SOHOs of any business need to get dynamic content as quickly as possible online - they often don’t have the skills, time or money to hire/find/work with a professional webdesign company and need reliable solutions.
b- A lot of new users who are looking for an affordable professional CMS are attracted by well designed free or at least affordable ready-made templates
c- Old fashioned or even buggy default templates might have the opposite effect
d- more
3. Who has to be in the template business?
a- EllisLab
b- Third party webdesign company/companies
c- other
There’s no need for EllisLab to go into the template business.
As solspace offers professional extensions and plugins, there might be a third party webdesign agency that offers ready made professional templates.
But as design matters, EllisLab should at least invest in a set of lets say 3 to 9 up-to-date default templates as a starting point for any user not belonging to user group 1.a).
===================
By the way:
I count myself in group 1.b) and I’m using frequently two of the out-of-the-box templates available for download on expressionengine.com - even if one of them was a little buggy. I use them as a starting point or for prototyping - Yes, you geeks don’t make fun of me! and thank you EllisLab, that made my start.
😊