WicketPixie Open Source WordPress Theme Updates

• If you like the theme I’m currently running on my blog, you can download and install your own copy. Granted, this is only true if you’re reading this post while I’m still using WicketPixie.
• If you haven’t seen, we’ve pushed out a rather major update recently – although it’s not without its share of bugs. Since it’s an open source project, and we’re limited on developers and designers, it’s been slow-moving progress (but progress, nonetheless).
• What we need right now are testers. All you have to do is download the latest build of WicketPixie. When we say latest, we’re referring to the master branch on GitHub, not the stable ZIP file that is distributed on Ohloh. Then, post bug reports to our bug tracker.
• If you do know PHP (WordPress, specifically), then you can help out by looking for and/or fixing bugs reported in the issues list. Just fork the WicketPixie repository on GitHub and get working, then send Eddie Ringle a pull request. You can learn how to do all of this by reading the Git guides.
• If you are graphic artist / Web designer, then you can help as well. It is recommended that you have knowledge of how WordPress themes work before you begin. If you have ideas, then please – join us!

I funded the initial development of WicketPixie, and it’s nice to see so many people using it. However, the only way it’s going to improve from this point forward is if others help it along. There are quite a few aspects that could stand improvement, including an overhauled design of the main page, an extended footer area, and various administrative tweaks.

The Future of WicketPixie?

• Abstract Options to accommodate child themes
• Clean up / Re-organize Options pages
• Support for WPMU and BuddyPress
• Easier “Social Me” configuration (ala MyBlogLog)
• Automated updater
• Turn front pages into Lifestream (ala Sweetcron)

WicketPixie Options need a heavy reorg. I know what I’m doing, and still feel a bit lost when looking at the latest version.

The bigger picture deserves equal attention for a v2.0: coming up with at least one child theme. That is to say, we abstract Options and make them work with any theme adapted for WicketPixie. WicketPixie isn’t the theme so much as it becomes a payload for Options – allowing developers and designers to create a different front-end experience for the same set of Options, thusly allowing users to select different WicketPixie designs.

Possible? I believe so.