I'm using SS for a few client sites -- the CMS seems very stable and mature & the sites are so easy to deploy. But I am struck by the apparent lack of user contributed themes . . . and beyond that, the lack of really visually engaging, multi-column themes etc. such as you see with WordPress, Joomla and Drupal themes (to name just 3). I understand that SS doesn't have as large an audience/dev community as those 3, but the available SS themes do seem pretty meager in number and appeal. Any ideas on what the reason is?

Thank you!

A couple reasons I assume for this

- What a theme can do is really limited to html, css, js. You cannot extend / provide any functionality or CMS integration. So if you have a 3 column theme you'll have to hard code the content in the template. No way of adding those extra components to the cms. So even through the user can download a theme they have to then write PHP (or copy it). Not exactly user friendly.

- SilverStripe attracts a much more developer audience rather than say Wordpress. The learning curve is much more techy and because designers love easy, usable software perhaps they get turned off by things like customizing modules via PHP, writing cms extensions rather than just having to download.

- SilverStripe attracts a much more enterprise level audience. Most of the developers who work with SilverStripe that I talk to implement it for their clients but for their own blogs etc they prefer wordpress or they aren't the type to work on themes on the weekends.

It would be good to see some new themes online. If you have any other comments on top of those would love to hear.

More complex themes could include a how-to about providing the additional cms functionality, making whatever editable from the backend.

But what could really bring a stimulus to the current theme repertory is an official "Theme-Contest", with prices and this forum as the jury. Call it a summer of theme variety or something like this and there will be a nice influx of new and refreshing themes :)

Regards,
Platypus