Yes, there are other free template sites out there (although lots of the aforementioned aren't open source. You need to credit the author, and can't do whatever you like with the code.)
But there are several things that make OSWD different:
1. Standards compliance! You won't find a design on OSWD (at least, that has been submitted in the last year.) that doesn't validate valid XHTML or HTML, and the majority are also CSS valid.
2. Community driven. EVERYTHING on OSWD is user driven. Everybody pitches in and shares their work, helps other web authors fix bugs in their code, and mentor new webmasters.
3. Selection. OSWD has/had thousands of templates you can use.. with more added every day. They are really unmatched in the free template world.
Yes, I'll be the first to admit that not all of them are quality designs. But the atomsphere, and a large number of the designs, are of the finest quality there is;)
But WHY take it all offline? From what Aaron has told me/posted on Sitepoint, the site is fine, all the data is still there, etc. If you want to recode it, fine. But why not at least keep it online in the meanwhile, so you don't cause a riot;)
I know that I'm biased, but OSWD was one of, if not my favorite site. And I really really miss the inspiration that comes from that site.
I'm not sure about the whole politcal thing, but I can attest to Monkeyman pretty much doing everything of importance. Sure, I helped out with a lot of the design approval the last couple weeks, but other than that MoneyMan did it all, for the most part.
Hello, I'm JoshPowell from OSWD. (Staff, or more specifically a design approver and I'm also judging the latest contest)
This is not meant to be a flamebait, so please don't take it as one, but you obviously don't know anything about OSWD.
OSWD was not using any CMS, it was 100% coded from scratch, the whole site. Including the forums. So we can't just recreate that overnight.. it was a long-time work in progress.
All the data? There where thousands of designs, with anywhere from 3-5 more being posted daily. You can't find that in a google cache or on archive.org;) You may be able to find some of the more popular designs from users, but it will be impossible to get all, or even most of the designs back from cached copies or whatever.
OSWD was really a huge, and community driven site. It will be hard to re-build, if it is not ressurected as-is, or as it was.
Josh
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Yes, there are other free template sites out there (although lots of the aforementioned aren't open source. You need to credit the author, and can't do whatever you like with the code.)
;)
But there are several things that make OSWD different:
1. Standards compliance! You won't find a design on OSWD (at least, that has been submitted in the last year.) that doesn't validate valid XHTML or HTML, and the majority are also CSS valid.
2. Community driven. EVERYTHING on OSWD is user driven. Everybody pitches in and shares their work, helps other web authors fix bugs in their code, and mentor new webmasters.
3. Selection. OSWD has/had thousands of templates you can use.. with more added every day. They are really unmatched in the free template world.
Yes, I'll be the first to admit that not all of them are quality designs. But the atomsphere, and a large number of the designs, are of the finest quality there is
Josh
(I'm JoshPowell, OSWD staff)
;)
;)
But WHY take it all offline? From what Aaron has told me/posted on Sitepoint, the site is fine, all the data is still there, etc. If you want to recode it, fine. But why not at least keep it online in the meanwhile, so you don't cause a riot
I know that I'm biased, but OSWD was one of, if not my favorite site. And I really really miss the inspiration that comes from that site.
I'm not sure about the whole politcal thing, but I can attest to Monkeyman pretty much doing everything of importance. Sure, I helped out with a lot of the design approval the last couple weeks, but other than that MoneyMan did it all, for the most part.
Please hurry up Frank, I miss the site!
Josh
Hello, I'm JoshPowell from OSWD. (Staff, or more specifically a design approver and I'm also judging the latest contest) This is not meant to be a flamebait, so please don't take it as one, but you obviously don't know anything about OSWD. OSWD was not using any CMS, it was 100% coded from scratch, the whole site. Including the forums. So we can't just recreate that overnight.. it was a long-time work in progress. All the data? There where thousands of designs, with anywhere from 3-5 more being posted daily. You can't find that in a google cache or on archive.org ;) You may be able to find some of the more popular designs from users, but it will be impossible to get all, or even most of the designs back from cached copies or whatever.
OSWD was really a huge, and community driven site. It will be hard to re-build, if it is not ressurected as-is, or as it was.
Josh