Title: Free Theme Redesigning
Last modified: August 20, 2016

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# Free Theme Redesigning

 *  [petarg](https://wordpress.org/support/users/petarg/)
 * (@petarg)
 * [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/)
 * Hi there,
 * I am planing to completely redesign one of the woothemes theme and upload it 
   to wordpress.org repository. This one [http://www.woothemes.com/2011/08/swatch/](http://www.woothemes.com/2011/08/swatch/)
 * It is a free theme. I will make a complete new design and use the whole back-
   end part that comes with Swatch free theme. In the description for my new theme
   hosted on wordpress.org I will include links to the woothemes saying that my 
   theme is based on their swatch free theme. I will ask them before I do that.
 * Two questions:
    1) Is my new theme ok to be hosted on wordpress.org ? It will
   be under the GPL. With links to me and Woothemes.
 * 2) Can the link to woothemes be my woothemes referal link?
 * Thanks!

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/#post-2546410)
 * No derivative themes (based on pre-existing themes or designs) are allowed in
   the Theme Repo. So I’m pretty sure that will be a “No” to both questions.
 *  Thread Starter [petarg](https://wordpress.org/support/users/petarg/)
 * (@petarg)
 * [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/#post-2546464)
 * If I build my own psd, html, css files from scratch and use only the back-end
   part of another theme?
 *  Thread Starter [petarg](https://wordpress.org/support/users/petarg/)
 * (@petarg)
 * [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/#post-2546465)
 * In previous thread you said I can redesign the Twenty Eleven and upload it to
   the repository [http://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-gpl-themes-licensing-links-to-my-blog-themefores?replies=11](http://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-gpl-themes-licensing-links-to-my-blog-themefores?replies=11)
 * Why is it different with another free GPL theme?
    I will build my own psd, html,
   css files from scratch and use only the back-end part of another theme.
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/#post-2546470)
 * > you said I can redesign the Twenty Eleven and upload it to the repository
 * No I didn’t. Please re-read what I (and others) said.
 *  Thread Starter [petarg](https://wordpress.org/support/users/petarg/)
 * (@petarg)
 * [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/#post-2546474)
 * This is from previous thread
 * Jan Dembowski:
    Being able to modify code is what the GPL is about but the other
   people who have writen that code deserve recognition.
 * esmi:
    Exactly what is and what isn’t acceptable is determined by the Theme Review
   Guidelines and the theme review team. New themes that are derived from pre-existing
   themes tend to be judged on a case-by-case basis.
 * So basically I cannot upload a theme if it is based on another GPL theme?
    Even
   if I write everywhere including in the description page something like:
 * Source and credits:
    •Special thanks to the WordPress team([http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/profile/wordpressdotorg](http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/profile/wordpressdotorg))
   who build the Twenty Eleven theme([http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/twentyeleven](http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/twentyeleven)).
 * This way I will give credits to the people who created the original theme. Isn’t
   that enough?
 * I’m sorry if those are silly questions but I am confused and I don’t completely
   understand what I can and can’t do.
 * Thanks.
 *  Moderator [Jan Dembowski](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jdembowski/)
 * (@jdembowski)
 * Forum Moderator and Brute Squad
 * [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/#post-2546475)
 * > I’m sorry if those are silly questions but I am confused and I don’t completely
   > understand what I can and can’t do.
 * They’re not silly questions, and you are free to do what you like. BUT you really
   just need to read what Esmi wrote.
 * > **No derivative themes** (based on pre-existing themes or designs) **are allowed
   > in the Theme Repo**. So I’m pretty sure that will be a “No” to both questions.
 * Make your changes to a GPL theme, host them on your web site, distribute them
   as you see fit without any restrictions that would conflict with the GPL. Have
   fun with it. 😉
 * But that does not mean the WordPress.ORG theme repository has to/must/is obliged
   to host derivative themes based on pre-existing themes or designs. They want 
   to host original works and that’s fine.
 * Just being GPL doesn’t obligate other people to distribute your derivative theme
   or work.
 * And if you think about it, permitting that would really water down the quality
   of themes here. Someone could just modify one file on a theme or change the colors
   in the CSS and there would be hundreds of themes like that.
 * Think of the theme reviewers and their families! Those poor reviewers, all those
   derivative themes…
 * *Sips more coffee*
 * Note: If you understand and “get” CSS (I sure entirely don’t) then just start
   from scratch. Make it 100% your work, you’ll learn more that way and you’ll get
   a ton of satisfaction.
 * Plus, your original GPL’ed masterpiece that you wrote yourself instead of modifying
   an existing theme will probably then qualify to be hosted on WordPress.ORG’s 
   repo. 😉
 * > Can the link to woothemes be my woothemes referal link?
 * As Esmi also pointed out, that’s not done because that can and has lead to link
   abuse in the theme repository. Credit is one thing, link referrals is something
   else entirely.
 * Chip Bennett gave a great presentation on the theme submission review process,
   give that a view.
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/#post-2546484)
 * Everything that Jan said plus…
 * In your original topic you asked in your could create a child of Twenty Eleven
   and use the name Twenty Eleven in the child theme. I said that of course you 
   could.
 * Then you asked if you could host your themes on your own site if they’d been 
   accepted into the Theme Repo Theme Repo. Nothing about submitting a child theme
   of Twenty Eleven or any other theme to the Repo. And no point did I say what 
   was, or wasn’t allowed under the Theme Review Guidelines. I even pointed you 
   to [http://make.wordpress.org/themes/](http://make.wordpress.org/themes/) as 
   The Definitive Point of Reference for theme submission. I think perhaps you read
   more into the conversation than was ever said or intended.
 *  [Chip Bennett](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chipbennett/)
 * (@chipbennett)
 * [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/#post-2546497)
 * > No derivative themes (based on pre-existing themes or designs) are allowed 
   > in the Theme Repo. So I’m pretty sure that will be a “No” to both questions.
 * This is not accurate.
 * Derivatives Themes **are allowed** to be hosted in the official repository. (
   If we didn’t, half of the currently hosted Themes wouldn’t be there, given the
   number of them derived from Twenty Eleven, Twenty Ten, Kubrick, Sandbox, etc.)
 * However, we maintain a fairly high standard of _significant design and/or functional
   difference_ from the original Theme, in order to be considered.
 * Also, derived Themes need to indicate clearly the original copyright attribution
   and license declaration, so that users can trace the Theme back to its original
   source.
 * > And if you think about it, permitting that would really water down the quality
   > of themes here. Someone could just modify one file on a theme or change the
   > colors in the CSS and there would be hundreds of themes like that.
   > Think of the theme reviewers and their families! Those poor reviewers, all 
   > those derivative themes…
 * In fact, this is a continual problem, and it does lead to subjective decisions,
   which the Theme Review Team tries at all reasonable costs to avoid. But a blanket
   prohibition of derived Themes is simply impractical.
 * > Can the link to woothemes be my woothemes referal link?
 * **Absolutely NOT.**. This would be construed as a Spam/SEO link, and if it is
   an affiliate link, would possibly get you black-balled from submitting Themes.
 * The appropriate place to put such attribution is with your copyright/license 
   declaration in style.css and/or your readme file.
 * > Nothing about submitting a child theme of Twenty Eleven or any other theme 
   > to the Repo.
 * In fact, _Child Themes are not currently being accepted for inclusion in the 
   official repository_. That day will come, eventually; but not yet. (It’s outside
   the control of the Theme Review Team.)
 * If you have any other questions about submitting Themes to the repository, your
   best bet is to email the theme-reviewers mail-list, as that is where you will
   get the quickest and most accurate and thorough answers. (Not many from the Theme
   Review Team actually monitor the WPORG support forums.)
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/#post-2546500)
 * > This is not accurate.
 * My apologies. I mis-used the term “derivative”. But given what petarg was suggesting,
   I was pretty sure that this particular “derivative” wouldn’t be allowed. And,
   in my defence, I have previously pointed him to the mailing list for definitive
   answers to theme guideline questions. 🙂

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

The topic ‘Free Theme Redesigning’ is closed to new replies.

 * 9 replies
 * 4 participants
 * Last reply from: [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * Last activity: [14 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/free-theme-redesigning/#post-2546500)
 * Status: not resolved

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