[wp-polyglots] New default theme missing strings

[iwan]

I've only just joined the list, so apologies for jumping into this conversation half-way, and restarting 
it, but...

I'd be really keen to have the themes gettext'ed, because without it, we're effectively limiting the use 
of different themes to English users.

I appreciate Ryan's point about keeping the themes simple so users can modify them, but to modify 
the themes already requires some knowledge of PHP etc, and the switching and functions look more 
complicated than the __e calls anyway.

WordPress's great benefit is its simplicity and ease-of-use, and that's why I've been recommending it 
to all and sundry.  Most of those non-technical users who are attracted to WordPress would be 
scared of HTML code, let alone PHP.  Although some of them do modify the templates, the first thing 
they all do is go and find a pre-built stylesheet or theme from elsewhere.  That's about the limit of 
their customisation.

There's already a nice list of great WP 1.5 themes available.  But by hardcoding language into the 
files, we're basically saying: nice templates are for English users only.  If you want to use any other 
language, you're stuck witk Kubrick.  Nothing against Kubrick, but if every single blog in my 
language is forced to use it, it'll be sick of it very soon.

That's the practicality.  But I think hardcoded themes are wrong on a philosophical level too.  The 
modern web-building ethos is to separate content from design, for very good reasons.  WordPress's 
HTML does this excellently, one of the reasons I came to WP to begin with.  But content/design 
separation is more than just using <em> instead of <i> -- it's a concept based on the huge benefits 
of being able to reuse content and designs independently of each other.  By sticking language (i.e. 
content) in the theme (i.e. design) files, we're throwing that concept out the window.  Themes are no 
longer really reusable, and are limited to their own language.  In some cases, these languages will be 
small communities.  What if a Welsh designer makes an absolutely mind-blowingly good theme?  
Well, tough, the rest of the world won't be able to use it, which has a knock-on effect on WP.  The 
more good themes are available, the more people will be attracted to WP.  

I realise this dicussion is abut the default theme really, not any others.  But having a language-
specific theme as the default will make people assume that's how they should all be.  Theme 
designers will use the default as a starting point (rather than re-type all the PHP), so all the themes 
will end up being language-dependent (unless language maintainers translate each and every one as 
they appear -- any volunteers?!)

Looking at the current default theme, most of it is gettexted already.  It isn't much of a job to do the 
rest.  And doing so means that all (or most!) of the great themes that will be produced for 1.5 will be 
instantly reuable in all languages.  I think that's a huge Pro, in relation the relatively minor Con of 
having slightly more complicated theme files (which will never be seen or edited by the majority of 
WP users anyway).

Oh dear. Huge rant on my second post to the list ;-)  Sorry for rambling on like that... I'll shut up 
now!

Cheers
iwan