I expected that this would be discussed after any new theme will actually get committed into core, but after seeing this issue I think it's better to open it sooner than later.

So here is my proposal if both Bartik and Corolla will get into Drupal 7 Beta 1:
1. Set Bartik for now as the default theme in Beta 1
2. Announce Bartik and Corolla as new themes in release notes for Beta 1 and let users know that one of them is a potential candidate for becoming the default theme in final Drupal 7 release
3. Let community report issues with both themes
4. Let community vote for their favorite theme
5. The theme with fewer unresolved bugs in issue queue and more votes is set as default theme in final Drupal 7 release

Why not get Bartik sealed as the default theme right now?
I think it will be more beneficial for both projects to keep the friendly competition as long as possible. It's going to make me, jensimons and other devs involved much more motivated to push the limits in order to make their favourite theme the default one.

Comments

geerlingguy’s picture

geerlingguy commented

Subscribe. I'm not going to say 'death to Garland,' because Garland is incredibly well-tested and works great across browsers... it makes a great admin theme if nothing else. But... "death to Garland!"

Relevant links:

On looks alone, Bartik seems to me to be the most 'Drupal-y' and Drupal branded. Corolla is very nice, but I don't think it would be a good drop-in replacement for Garland, fwiw.

Also, I don't know about voting for a theme to become the default; I think it should be up to webchick and/or Dries, and they should take this thread into consideration... :-/

Jeff Burnz’s picture

Jeff Burnz commented

1. the community always reports issues.

2. voting is unheard of, thats a no go (closest we get is +1 etc).

3. bugs/issues would never a be deciding factor, they can always be fixed.

4. Is Corolla even going to be in core?

5. Competition is not good, at this stage of D7 we need clear direction and focus on one theme, which IMO is up to Dries and Webchick - we need to write tests for this and bunch of other stuff so it should be one theme and one only.

I would vote for Bartik, I think it more epitomizes of the new look of Drupal.

geerlingguy’s picture

geerlingguy commented

Marked #845742: Make Bartik the default core theme as a duplicate.

Also, I think this is a very relevant issue, and I'm glad Garland is still the default, for now at least. We'll need to see what the core maintainers have to say, for sure.

Jeff Burnz’s picture

Jeff Burnz commented

I think you're jumping the gun marking as duplicate - Bartik is going in core, that is decided, whereas Corolla has no such agreement or RTBC status and granted the current state of the review process and lack of top flight personal on board I have serious doubts. People need to stop assuming Corolla is going in core, its a candidate but atm needs reviews from advanced themers and other old hand drupalers - the assumption is actually killing Corollas chances, because everyone just thinks its a done deal, but its not.

jarek foksa’s picture

jarek foksa commented

1. the community always reports issues.

But developers are not always fixing them in a reasonable amount of time.

2. voting is unheard of, thats a no go (closest we get is +1 etc).

If number of bugs and community preference can't be a deciding factor, then what else should be? I think it's the best way for measuring theme quality.

3. bugs/issues would never a be deciding factor, they can always be fixed.

Sure they can, but will they get fixed in time? I would go even further and set a requirement that there should be no bugs several days before RC1 release if a given theme wants to be the default one.

4. Is Corolla even going to be in core?

We don't know yet, so discussion in this issue should wait until maintainers will make the decision.

5. Competition is not good, at this stage of D7 we need clear direction and focus on one theme, which IMO is up to Dries and Webchick - we need to write tests for this and bunch of other stuff so it should be one theme and one only.

This could be true (though I would argue) if we were to include just one theme in core, if there are two themes then for sure we want both of them to be of the highest quality. The best way to achieve that is by motivating developers for further work.

I think you're jumping the gun marking as duplicate - Bartik is going in core, that is decided, whereas Corolla has no such agreement or RTBC status and granted the current state of the review process and lack of top flight personal on board I have serious doubts.

I would say this issue is a follow-up, not a duplicate. I realize it's a pre-mature discussion, that's why I'm proposing to wait with it. It has not been decided yet whether Corolla or Bartik will get into core, the final voice belongs to maintainers.

heine’s picture

heine commented

jarek, Bartik is in core already (http://drupal.org/cvs?commit=388614).

jarek foksa’s picture

jarek foksa commented

@Heine Ohh, I haven't noticed, it got committed several hours ago. But there is still no decision on Corolla so this issue is open.

eigentor’s picture

eigentor commented

So let's work on getting Corolla in. But still this issue needs to be opened as Jarek sais. Can be big bikeshed, but gets Views of different people, so it is valuable.

As for the decision: If both Corolla and Bartik are in core, the decision which should be core is not an easy one. Design is a very subjective matter, while code quality is better measurable. But there is no hurry. Any theme in core should be ready for being default, luckily we minimized any page that uses Garland by having taken over most everything by Seven, so this is technically easier.

But oh, writing Tests and stuff...

mcrittenden’s picture

mcrittenden commented

Sub.

tsi’s picture

tsi commented

Corolla is beautiful, but as I said on #845742: Make Bartik the default core theme, IMHO Bartik is much more drupal 7 from the branding point of view as it complies better with seven as admin theme and with the drupal.org redesign, plus it's more neutral and generic than corolla.
I would vote for Bartik.

kevinquillen’s picture

kevinquillen commented

I actually like two-column Corolla more than Bartik as a first impression.

mcrittenden’s picture

mcrittenden commented
Status: Active » Postponed

The split debate between here and #845742: Make Bartik the default core theme is confusing me, and we can't really do much on this issue until Corolla is committed, so I'm marking this postponed until then.

eigentor’s picture

eigentor commented

By the way, for all the people commenting here: you can help a lot by reviewing corolla, no matter on what emphasis (code, design, whatever), short or long, and posting your findings here: #686410: New core theme for Drupal 7: Corolla

dmitrig01’s picture

dmitrig01 commented

jarek, i would first finish corolla and get it in core, then we can discuss - yoroy posted a great review that you haven't yet responded to

mcrittenden’s picture

mcrittenden commented
Status: Postponed » Closed (duplicate)

Now that #845742: Make Bartik the default core theme has a general title like this issue does, I'm marking this as duplicate just since that one was first. Jarek, might be worthwhile to copy/paste your proposal to that issue.

kaakuu’s picture

kaakuu commented

Garland is (or was) pathbreakingly new! It may have tired everyday Drupaller's eyes but the fact is that it continues to be something new that came from Drupal.

Other themes like Bartik with its array of roundedcorner buttons is actually cliche when similar or almost similar themes have been lying there in wordpress, e107 etc. Except perhaps that it is black and white till now.

Drupal needed something pathbreakingly new like Garland and something super easy to customize like Wordpress twentyten or constructor.

Except Drupal all other major communities have open and nicely linked voting pages. I will like to vote for Garland OR something as new as it was!

kevinquillen’s picture

kevinquillen commented

For me, Bartik is kind of flat, greyscale (colorable or not) and uninspiring. Corolla seems more in the right direction as far as that 'wow' factor after installing Drupal, like you could run with it and start posting, which is why Wordpress is popular. Right out of the gate you have a working site. Drupal definitely needs help in the theme arena and Corolla is pretty fresh looking face for Drupal for those too used to Garland.

Garland on the other hand is so old. It's a full version release therefore it should have a new face. Otherwise, people might feel nothing has really changed with Drupal. It can stay in as the ol standby theme but I don't think it should be the default again.