WordPress.org

1. milfordjackson
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #

   Hi, This is my first post so please bear with me if this post already exists.

   I have always been interested in wordpress and decided to get more involved recently. While travelling last year I came across a design business using wordpress however there code doesn't show any words like wp or wordpress or even the word theme. The only way I knew they had used wordpress was from there CSS file that lead back to themeforest.

   The opportunity has arose for me to invest some money into advertising and I would love to open up a design business the same as these guys I saw on my travels: http://www.flatout.co.nz/

   I can buy and alter and setup wordpress themes for clients no problem, but http://www.flatout.co.nz/ have a very cool way of not using the word wordpress and the html code for each website also doesnt give any indecation of wp, and it looks very tidy.

   How do I make my wp sites the same?? Any help would be much appreciated, its a puzzle I have only figured out half the answer to.

   Many Thanks in advanced.

   Milford

2. cjeweb
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #

   Variable names, css style class names, div names, etc - all these things are completely arbitrary.

   You can change the variable names in the themes, remove the generator tags, whatever you like to "unbrand" a WP site.

   I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but how can you expect to be a web design company and produce websites for people's businesses if you can't code? How do you bring any added value to an open source web application for your customer if you can't modify it, maintain it, and manage it? Why would someone pay you to get a free web application and a free web template and mash them together?

3. milfordjackson
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #

   Thank you for your quick response.

   I can code, I have no difficulty using CSS and XHTML. In the past I have converted PSD designs into quality websites however, I don’t have much experience using PHP and MYSQL.

   After looking at the website I mentioned before I can see that the HTML and CSS doesn’t mention anything to do with wordpress. Creating similar packages as they have and setting up a CMS websites for a client would be more beneficial for both them and myself as I wouldn’t be hounded to do updates. I can modify and manage no problem, however unbranding the theme is something I would want to do to uphold a professional look.

   So do you mean use plugins similar to this one below?

   http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/remove-generator-tag-for-wordpress/

   Also when moving the CSS files to different directories in my webspace wouldn’t this muck up the MYSQL database?

   Many Thanks

4. cjeweb
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #

   Unbranding a theme is a separate thing from unbranding the WP application itself.

   Most every change you'll want to make to how WP works and how it displays (its theme) will be done in the php files of the theme. There are plugins to remove things the core does, and it's better not to modify the core WP, since your changes can end up being lost or broken in upgrades. So, you use a plugin to latch on to standard WP events and alter their function.

   Changing system directories can be done a number of different ways - there are config files you can change, use your htaccess rules, etc.

   Yes, if you're going to design WP sites, you should build your own templates, and there is no reason to have any branding other than your own on that template (unless you want to link back to WP). There's no real good reason to "unbrand" the CMS by changing all instances of "wp" in files, directories, etc., though. Be upfront with your clients that you are using one of the best written and well supported open source web applications for their site. They will appreciate knowing the value of what you're using, and they will be proud to join the millions of other satisfied WP site owners.

   And don't hesitate to partner with a real coder - these are not web pages. They are web applications. PHP is really easy to learn, but object oriented programming concepts are not. And the core application is a very complex program. Find a web developer who can support your designs to work with.

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