[wp-hackers] is_front_page should have it's own template file

[Aaron D. Campbell]

I see what you are saying, I was under the impression we shouldn't need 
custom page templates for the basic use cases.  This way, a template 
could include a front page design, without having to tell the user to 
add it as a template if they need.  I've been using a custom page 
template for the front page, I have made one for nearly every WordPress 
site I've ever built, it just seems that since we now have built-in 
functionality to test for the front page, we might as well add it to the 
template loader.  It's one more elseif in a long line of them, and one 
more function.  Not a big deal, there are even hooks that can be used to 
automatically apply the template page if you want.

Otto wrote:
> ... I don't quite get it, exactly. If you're using a static page as
> the front page, why not simply assign it it's own Page Template?
>
> I mean, I kinda see your point, but the "front" page is basically
> either a Static-Page or home.php/index.php if you have posts on it.
> Adding another template file doesn't make much sense, because there's
> no room for it.
>
> To explain further via the process of breaking it down:
> Case 1: Posts on front page.
> - Template is home.php fallback to index.php.
> Case 2: Static front page.
> - Template is custom Page Template fallback to page.php fallback to index.php.
>
> Where, exactly, would you insert a front.php into that in each case?
> What would be the purpose of it that could not be achieved otherwise?
>