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[tfosnom Friend tfosnomJoin date: October 2010Posts: 742Downloads:0Uploads:31 Thanks: 145 Thanked: 200 times in 94 posts]

#169045

After the advertising that this would be Sept template, then announcement it was delayed, can we get confirmation it will be released as Oct template please or let us know what is the scheduled October template, I have a few ideas for new sample/demo sites and like to know what’s upcoming. As I have requested before a JA Created Church web template would go down well for my Charity work. 🙂
Regards Shane

[jneubauer Friend jneubauerJoin date: August 2011Posts: 141Downloads:0Uploads:0 Thanks: 4 Thanked: 23 times in 23 posts]

#415473

I’m not sure if there is any public information regarding what templates are scheduled to be released. Usually those are kept under wraps until their release.
I agree, a church template would be nice, I’ve always been at a loss for a good church template when looking around for one. I know CloudAccess has one that is pretty good, not sure of any other quality ones though.

[TomC Moderator TomCJoin date: October 2014Posts: 14077Downloads:58Uploads:137 Thanks: 948 Thanked: 3155 times in 2495 posts]

#415507

With regard to JA Erios . . .
While I have not been made privy to anything concrete or definitive, I am optimistic about October being a good month. 😎

As for the issue of a template for a Church site (as I could locate your the previous “request/wishlist” thread for it) . . . .
My very esteemed colleague, Jon (above) and I had a thought provoking discussion as to the requirements (both visual and functional) for a “Church” themed site and the availability of existing templates for such – be it here at JoomlArt or otherwise. While Jon and I have some slight differences of opinion – very respectfully, of course – with regard to “starting points” and “how to get there” for such a theme, I believe we both agree as to the principle/philosophy that there is a certain “style” and “functionality” associated with such a theme.

In offering my particular, personal, thoughts/opinion … I want to make it abundantly clear that I am neither dismissing nor taking anything away from Jon’s reply/recommendation above. The following is simply MY viewpoint and FOOD FOR THOUGHT . . .

While I certainly agree that there is rarely a “universal absolute” for most any issue or method, I do subscribe to the idea (as has been included within my signature (below) for quite some time) that a template is a starting point from which one takes as a base foundation and further modifies/customizes to fit the particular needs of the particular person/organization’s site. Certainly, a “ready-made” theme for a particular niche is the simplest starting-point. However, as Jon indicated above, sometimes there simply aren’t such “ready-made’ themes readily available on the current market. (And it is not always within one’s budget to be able to hire a custom web designer/developer to create a fully custom site from the start).

That being said, it occurs to me that there are a handful of templates available here at JoomlArt which – with just a bit of modification/customization (i.e. font styles, maybe certain color schemes, moving around/adding positions here and there, integration of various extensions, etc.) – could be transformed into a very nice looking/feeling and dynamic Church site.

The thing is, when looking at these base templates … do not see only see what they are now, but what they could become with a relatively minimal amount of modification/customization effort. Forget about the base foundation themes presented for demo purposes. Instead, think about the Church’s custom logo, custom images reflecting the Church, Parish Community, Special Event Notices, etc. Think about how some added (extension) functionality can be added (both visually and functionally) to further enhance available options – including video, calendars, service listings, outreach programs, etc.

Here are some examples that, I feel, could work very nicely (again, see beyond the base demo theme) . . .

– JA METHYS

– JA IRONIS

– JA EVENTS

– JA SOCIAL

– JA ORES – (Again, try not to think “business.” Instead, think of the images you could use, lighter color scheme (many already integrated), easily customized/organized modules, a deep site-map directory at the bottom, etc.)

– JA RAITE

– JA SULFUR

So, in light of the relative current unavailability of a specific/niche “Church” theme template for Joomla … the above are a handful of examples of existing JoomlArt Templates that – with a bit of “out of the box” vision and relatively simple modification and extension – could be developed into a very nice (and dynamic) Church/Church Community themes site. There really isn’t any “re-invent the wheel” here in terms of the inner workings/core functionality of the template itself. There are times, however, that we do need to (and should) think “out of the box” to achieve certain goals/results. (I mean, how many great ideas, products, services, organizations, etc might never have been realized if their creators would have retired their vision based on only the “cookie cutter” options available at the time – rather than takign the base cookie .. building upon it … and creating something truly special out of it?) 😎

Remember, a template is merely a starting point . . . and the magic and uniqueness is what YOU do with it from there.

Again, I offer the above merely as additional food-for-thought as some possible alternative options for you.

🙂

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1. tfosnom

[tfosnom Friend tfosnomJoin date: October 2010Posts: 742Downloads:0Uploads:31 Thanks: 145 Thanked: 200 times in 94 posts]

#415593

Hi Tom & Jon
I hear what you are both saying and agree with your comments, while as you point out Tom, there are many templates I can develop into a suitable Church site, I think JA would do a better job out of the box so to speak, both in terms of functionality and visual appeal. It’s this creative design experience that I wish to draw and improve upon. While there has been many discussions regarding the overuse of unmodified JA template sites that all look so similar etc.

Sometimes what JA offers as default is so well planned and organized it requires so little modification to achieve a great looking and performing site.. Here I probably have the opinion that the content (both text, graphics, downloadable materials & module positions etc.) creates the difference factor between all unmodified JA themed template sites even if they are within a narrow category such as a Church site, restaurant, video club.

This confirms your quote “Remember, a template is merely a starting point . . . and the magic and uniqueness is what YOU do with it from there.” However, I still would love to see what JA is capable of in this regard and how they would answer the challenges of what to include (Functionality) as well as the general graphical theme and colour schemes.
Food for thought.
Shane

1 user says Thank You to tfosnom for this useful post

1. TomC

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