[wp-forums] Doing it for free.

[Michael B]

The positives I think have already been discussed.  The negatives, well,
I'll just give an example of something I experienced yesterday, and then ask
aloud how would that be handled in this situation.  It comes down to where
is the line drawn, and how will the users reaction to the line being drawn
effect the program.

I get an email via my contact form from my site.  Someone's stumbled upon a
theme I've re-released.  Says they don't know what to do with it.  I explain
it's a WP theme, where to put it, how to activate it.  They've no clue what
I'm talking about.  A few more emails are exchanged, I learn someone they
hired set up the software and and a custom theme, all they've ever done is
blogged.   I express my desire to walk them through the whole thing, even
upgrading their site from 1.5 to 2.x.  I also give them the option of me
doing it for $25 if they don't want to be bothered, including creating a
custom header from the .psd file the theme comes with.  They take the $25
option, send all the ftp and login info.  I discover they are using a plugin
that is dependant on user level, research the plugin, find a 2.0 v, back up
their site, upgrade, install theme.  There was a problem with SK when
upgrading, causing me to re-import the database.

They ask if the sidebar could be made to the same as the previous theme's
(bunch of extra links and buttons), so I agree, and go and copy and move the
sidebar content.

Then they ask about the graphic the theme uses to divide posts.  I shorten
the distance between posts.  At this point I easily have over an hour into
the upgrade and changes.

I then awake to a luaundry list of things they want changed, all of which
are inherent to the theme.  In essence they want me to customize the theme
for them.  While some days that might not be as big an issue, I'm busy, and
my volunteer time is already committed.  I've got bills like the next guy.

My point is, I can easily see that happening with the free install/upgrade
offer.  And so when that line is drawn, what will the reaction be, and how
could that effect the positive publicity being sought?

The other concern I would have is that it becomes a free service for splog
farmers.

I don't want to sound as if I'm shooting an idea out of the water, just
worried about certain instances.

Michael




On 4/19/06, Craig <nuclearmoose at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 4/19/06, Podz <podz at tamba2.org.uk> wrote:
> >
> > This is something I've wanted to do for ages and in the light of a
> > certain post or two..
> >
> > Could we offer - through the forums - free installation?
> >
> >
> > +1.
>
> I think that there could be a system set up that will work. It will take
> some thought, but it's doable.
> Craig.
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