Template Monster: Public Service Announcement

I'm in agreement with jettrue. I feel like the onus is on TM to improve their templates and insure they work in total harmony with Zen Cart, with the feedback of this gifted community-- not the other way around.

Template Monster customer service asked me for a full list of modifications I made to force a level of functionality into the template I unfortunately paid for. They said they were asking in order to provide me with customer service, because they want to make sure I am satisfied. Huh? I do not think this is customer service, this is selling me a broken product, then asking for it back once repaired so it can be sold again.

Even more alarming at their interest in my modifications-- I'm a total novice and don't even have confidence enough in my changes to the TM template to keep using it. I'm dumping it and going back to basics.

Totally agree with jettrue's last post and wil not enter
any TM contest..
The onus is on Template Monster to design and
configure templates that work with zencart,
according to dev's guidelines, not concoct deviations
that suit TM's creations, which look good, but leave
a lot to be desired, regarding performance when
added to zencart installation.
When zencart dev's have few spare moments, and appreciate
that their time for extra projects is limited, maybe a good
idea to produce a list of approved template designers, similar
to existing recommended webhosting list...

fellis:

We removed from our theme all unmodified files and uploaded it again to http://osc.template-help.com/zencart_test.zipRight idea, but when I downloaded it again, it had exactly the same number of files as the previous version!

fellis & Tmonster,
Emphasis is mine:

kuroi

fellis:

Zencart override system allows to do it, but such theme installation will be problematic for our customers.
You've said that before and I thought it strange then. Why do you believe this? It's not consistent with my experiences helping new users in this forum.
You have not read, not looked at one of the free templates here, not "gotten" it....???
Not sure which - All catalog files are in /includes -

Use the override system as designed and then a customer FTP's the full /includes dir to their host space and the properly structured files/dir's are transfered to the correct places automatically.

"One transfer - of one complete folder" Now how can it get any easier??
Or how is this "problematic"?

Look at most any of the modules available and this is how they are installed....template or otherwise.

Why don't you get this?

kobra:

fellis & Tmonster,
Emphasis is mine:

You have not read, not looked at one of the free templates here, not "gotten" it....???
Not sure which - All catalog files are in /includes -

Use the override system as designed and then a customer FTP's the full /includes dir to their host space and the properly structured files/dir's are transfered to the correct places automatically.

"One transfer - of one complete folder" Now how can it get any easier??
Or how is this "problematic"?

Look at most any of the modules available and this is how they are installed....template or otherwise.

Why don't you get this?

I would like to add to this comment by saying that for your customers benefit. you includes some of your own documentation on the over rides system so that they empowered to make some corrections and know know how to modify language files as well. I have taught plenty of <?phphobic?> people how to correctly modify language files, in under 15 mins.

:oops:

I don't see what the HUGE! issue is here?

Can someone explain? :frusty:

we created a zen-cart theme, using your override system. link is here: http://osc.template-help.com/contest_zen.zip We will very appreciate if you look install this theme. If you have any remarks or advices concerning folder structure or override system we used let us know we will fix it.

fellis:

we created a zen-cart theme, using your override system. link is here: http://osc.template-help.com/contest_zen.zip We will very appreciate if you look install this theme. If you have any remarks or advices concerning folder structure or override system we used let us know we will fix it.

:smile::smartalec:

Looks, off in FF ...

Next, I'll say EZ-Pages!!!!!!

Banner's should be BANNERS!

...just a few idea's ... If you want, we'll release a version of this template!

The problem is that the Template Monster company is saying that their templates are compatable with Zen Cart. However if you try using them they typicly don't work.

Now I haven't looked at the new template, but I'm about to just to see if they followed the override system. From their earlier comments they don't seem to want to use the override system, which makes it difficult to help people troubleshoot things.

JP

birdoasis:

The problem is that the Template Monster company is saying that their templates are compatable with Zen Cart. However if you try using them they typicly don't work.

Now I haven't looked at the new template, but I'm about to just to see if they followed the override system. From their earlier comments they don't seem to want to use the override system, which makes it difficult to help people troubleshoot things.

JP

The new template isn't optimized for Zen ... I don't wanna bash TM or anything, but it's apparent from the new template that's how it is.

We'll be releasing a version of this template tomorrow! For download and demo.

lol actually you may want to can that idea
there are a few things out there called copyrights, and I didnt see anywhere that they have waived that copyright,

the layout was only slightly OFF of the correct file structure and teh correct file layout has been sent to them,

this is more than just about that one template, this is about them wanting to get them right,

Merlinpa1969:

lol actually you may want to can that idea
there are a few things out there called copyrights, and I didnt see anywhere that they have waived that copyright,

the layout was only slightly OFF of the correct file structure and teh correct file layout has been sent to them,

this is more than just about that one template, this is about them wanting to get them right,

The template doesn't take into consideration "Banners," or how about EZ-Pages ... the idea is to make a customizable template outta the box ... there's a lot of area's on this template that you can't change without modifying images.

You'll see the variations in tomorrow's template release.

YOU CAN NOT re-release a Template Monster Template - if you do you will be banned permanently from the forums for knowingly violating another's copyrights.

Kim:

YOU CAN NOT re-release a Template Monster Template - if you do you will be banned permanently from the forums for knowingly violating another's copyrights.

Given Permission :P

rather than just release ANOTHER template lets HELP them get em right,

thats what this is about
template monster and correct templates, it has nothing to do with this ONE template

Hey, as long as it's done with TM's consent, it can only help them see a better way to make a template. If it is efficient and effective, I expect TM will look it over to learn.

gjh42:

Hey, as long as it's done with TM's consent, it can only help them see a better way to make a template. If it is efficient and effective, I expect TM will look it over to learn.

Of course, but let's say there's more involved .... is it still a bad thing? Two beneficial parties? And eventually satisfied customers!?

I uploaded a zencart theme demo at http://osc.template-help.com/test_zencart_template/

If you have any remarks or improvements, please post it here. We will try to correct all bugs.

It's nice to hear you want to correct all bugs. Is non-valid code considered a bug?

I've mentioned already in this thread about TM validating their Templates, same as the default ZC theme is verified as valid. A quick check shows that many errors are present in the Theme you posted. Although a good online Validator for quick checks, it only shows the first 50 errors and misses showing these errors:

width="1px" height="1px" << correction obvious
id="currencies" -and- id="manufacturers" << IDs can only be used once

Just some quick feedback as comments were asked for. :smile: