Shooting at Bubbles - Latest Comments in Well gee I must be a liar

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

StevenHodson — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:43:02 -0000

Thank you Lloyd I appreciate that - and I can relate to having bad days as well

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

Lloyd Dewolf — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:32:00 -0000

Hi Steve, just wanted to apologize for what I wrote. I was in a bit of a mood for unrelated reasons, and got carried away.

Others have pointed out that is an a very old version of the theme viewer, from before Automattic actively managed it, that is why it isn't in our code repository. Anyway, that is no excuse for what I wrote. You have my sincerest apology (though I wonder why there would be any other type.)

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

matthewktabor — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:44:54 -0000

I'd like to congratulate you on your recent membership to the LHM&DDH Society.

If you aren't familiar with that acronym, that's the Liars, Hacks, Meanies and Doo-Doo Heads Society. I'm sure you'll start receiving our newsletter in coming weeks.

What a bizarre reaction - I just don't understand it. First, others confirmed the theme viewer. I was one of them; I was pleased that it was a great visual organization that would help me choose a new theme sometime in the next few months. When I load the URL now, it's different than it was when I left the comment on your original post. Simple as that.

With regard the linkbait implications, they're tasteless and defy both common sense and experience. As you said, it would have been the weakest attempt at linkbaiting I've seen in a long time. It also contrasts with your massive body of work on this site, none of which characterizes you as a linkbaiter.

And, really, what possible [and plausible] motivation would you have to fake it? This is one of the dumbest accusations I've come across in the blogosphere - ever.

You're due an apology. We're due an explanation for why Lloyd would bother to defame a blogger.

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

StevenHodson — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:41:05 -0000

Jeff,

Not a problem :) I ended up learning a valuable lesson in the process

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

Jeffro2pt0 — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:02:36 -0000

Well Steve, I certainly didn't think your post this weekend would turn into this. I used what happened during this weekend and the link someone gave me as a good opportunity to remind new users of WordPress about the dangers of downloading themes of unofficial sources. I added the content of what happened this weekend with the theme viewer and yourself as context before the point I was trying to make.

Sorry if I ended up giving you more hell than anything else. But as we have seen, even without your browser screenshots, there are a number of other people who can back up the claims who have also seen either the same or something similar on the theme repository.

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

StevenHodson — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:38:20 -0000

Thank you Nathan I appreciate that. In the next few minutes I will be posting the last screenshot I will do on this nonsense as it has the URL address. As well I will make both the CSS file and the page source file available for download so stay tuned.

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

jylan — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:36:04 -0000

<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" http-equiv="Content-Type">
<title></title>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
<font size="-1"><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">That is good
thenÂ :-) I really
like the new design, hopefully everyone else will be able to access it
soon.

</font></font>

</body>
</html>

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

Nathan Rice — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:35:43 -0000

Steven,
Fair enough. For what it's worth, your story seems more and more reasonable the longer this goes on.

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

StevenHodson — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:28:02 -0000

Jylan,

Thanks :) but I also have managed to get back to the same display as the ones in the screenshots as well as saved both the CSS and source files. I will be posting them shortly so everyone can finally shut up about this - although I do expect an apology for certain quarters (doubt I will get it though)

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

jylan — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:16:05 -0000

Hi Steven, I know you are definitely not faking these shots because I first saw the Wordpress theme view like this when I was browsing the old Wordpress theme viewer a couple of days ago, and when I clicked on a theme I got a 404 error. I then went back to the homepage and lo and behold, the new design was in place!

Looking at it right now it is still using the same design so if anyone wants screenshots or code I'll be happy to oblige. I think its really weird that some people can see it and others can't. I'm in Australia if it makes any difference.

My email is jylan at briterwebdesign dot com.

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

Len — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:12:56 -0000

I don't know Nathan personally but have great respect for him as a talented theme creator. I understand how this could sound strange to others but I know what I saw. That theme viewer even had a couple of different viewing options.

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

StevenHodson — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:00:32 -0000

and I appreciate that and I do agree than my screenshots are lending to the problem - although if you think about it if some-one was going to 'fake' screenshots like those that Photoshopping a url in a browser window wouldn't be all that hard.

I did save the source but I am having a hard time tracking it down on my drive(s) but as soon as I get over this flu that is knocking the shit outta me I'll get back on and see if I can find it again.

I understand that this might be hard to believe but as you can see from comments to this and the other related posts others have seen it as well.

As for the suggestion - vieled or otherwise - that this is link bait if that were the case then it is the weakest example of it .. I would have gotten better results by posting that Valleywags newest reporter is actually Michael Arrington in drag. :)

At 50+ years I don't think I need toplay that kind of silly game especially if I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror in the morning.

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

StevenHodson — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:53:43 -0000

thank you

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

Nathan Rice — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:51:17 -0000

I certainly am not calling you a liar, but it would be nice to see some proof. Did you save the source? If so, can you post it.

At the very least, you have to admit that given the lack of browser window visibility, and the lack of posted code or urls, it seems very suspicious. Not trying to nose into your business, but surely you can understand why someone would be apprehensive to accept this. Like I said in another comment, this seems like prime linkbait material. Not calling you a liar, but without more proof than some images that could very easily have been photoshopped, this is a hard one to believe.

Re: Well gee I must be a liar

Len — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:14:06 -0000

Steve, this is my first time to your blog and I can verify 100% that you are not faking anything. As I stated on both WTC and Jeff's blog, I too HAVE SEEN that theme viewer a couple of times recently when clicking a link FROM the main WordPress site. I have the Codex and Forum stored in my Firefox bookmarks but NOT the Theme Viewer. I ALWAYS access it from the main site.

The first time I saw it was a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was a prototype. There was even an email addy given for anyone wanting to help tag the themes - I think it was shadow 12 gmail or something.