«I've been seeing Regulus with custom header option, I meant that I saw it here at WP.com. Heck, till Jan this year, I was myself using that theme on my wp.com blog!!»

Well, that beats everything.

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Regulus - WordPress Theme version 2.1

April 11, 2006

It’s been a while since I updated Regulus but with the recent release of widgets I had to do something.

The update:

There are a whole slew of new things added to the latest version of Regulus. The biggies are support for the widgets plugin, and the ability to chose your own header image. The full list of changes is below.

• <…>
• added support for wordpress.com sidebar widgets plugin - http://automattic.com/code/widgets/
• added ability to choose your own header graphic

38. Matt
April 17, 2006

I just updated the theme on WordPress.com

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though one can't upload the header to wordpress.com, so they'll have to host it on their own server(if they've one) else use a free image hosting service or use a photo sharing service like Flickr.

It is possible to upload the header to wordpress.com, there’s no need to host it on their own server or use a free image hosting service or a photo sharing service.

So no changes are required in the theme for trival stuff like this, we live in the age of dynamic stuff and use WordPress afterall, not any file based static stuff!!

There are required changes in the theme. It’s the same file based static stuff, pictures are stored statically.

I'll just bugger off back into my little corner and let the people that know absolutely everything about absolutely everything get on with it!

Itsme - Indeed the Doc did post his message in April '06.

But that (I believe - and stand to be very corrected here!) was posted BEFORE Regulus was updated on WP.com.

Whether the original version (available for self hosted users) has been available since December isn't really relevant in this discussion as we are limited to what's offered by the wp.com team.

seriously now, why are you arguing on a case of which you know nothing? when I said that I've been seeing Regulus with custom header option, I meant that I saw it here at WP.com. Heck, till Jan this year, I was myself using that theme on my wp.com blog!! :)

@drmike:

Also my Regulus is still the old version. I haven't rolled out the upgrade yet.

what do you mean mike? its old version on your self-hosted blog or at wp.com?

It's not a biggie guys. I've gotten stuff wrong in the past. It wouldn't be the first time. Heck, I was married, remember? :)

But that (I believe - and stand to be very corrected here!) was posted BEFORE Regulus was updated on WP.com.

Whether the original version (available for self hosted users) has been available since December isn't really relevant in this discussion as we are limited to what's offered by the wp.com team.

For the record, I would love to be able to edit my theme. I HATE looking the same as everyone else! ;)

Um, itsme, do you know about theory theory of time?

Let me explain.

When a user posts a message it gets a time stamp. Things move on, time moves on. Applications develop, things change. Regulus gets updated and (regulus only) currently allows a custom image in the header.

Does this make sense?

What I'm trying to say is that when Dr Mike posted about not allowing custom images for headers Regulus wasn't allowing it either.

yeah I guess it does make sense, I think I'm not a dunderhead afterall!! ;) Mike didn't give that reply centuries back, if you check the timestamp of his last message(as you so wisely reminded me about) saying what he did say, its of april 2006. now funnily enough, I've been seeing the option of custom header in Regulus since december 2005 as far as I can recall!! :roll:

now, I'm not blaming Mike of anything, I just think that he might not be aware of this thing, so I thought that I'd point it out, nothing wrong or ill-mannered in that!!

Mike's statement still holds true. We CAN'T edit the themes.

yep, that's still true, but why do we need to edit the themes, or more specifically, why a user needs to edit the theme??

ofcourse not every theme supports the custom headers like the Regulus does, but then that's not the point I was making. and I'm not pushing for having a custom header in the theme, if its there then its good, if its not there then I'm ok with it. all I meant to say was that when everyone was saying that its not possible or supported currently, I just threw some light on a path. those who want can take it!!

Let me explain.

When a user posts a message it gets a time stamp. Things move on, time moves on. Applications develop, things change. Regulus gets updated and (regulus only) currently allows a custom image in the header.

Does this make sense?

What I'm trying to say is that when Dr Mike posted about not allowing custom images for headers Regulus wasn't allowing it either.

Mike's statement still holds true. We CAN'T edit the themes.

To get the custom image option for every theme means editing every theme with the code to allow it. I am pretty certain that this isn't high on the priority list for the development team.

Certainly I would prefer to see a stable, fast, backed up and well supported service over something as "trivial" as a custom image.

Or am I living in a dream world?

To change the picture in your header, you would have to modify your theme and that is currently not allowed as we're sharing themes here across the servers.

umm, Mike, its time you check out the Regulus theme under the presentations tab. it allows custom headers, though one can't upload the header to wordpress.com, so they'll have to host it on their own server(if they've one) else use a free image hosting service or use a photo sharing service like Flickr. :) So no changes are required in the theme for trival stuff like this, we live in the age of dynamic stuff and use WordPress afterall, not any file based static stuff!! :D

the problem is it's done almost "manually" (raw theme-dependant PHP code) -- there's no standard procedure in the core, so each such a theme will have to be adopted to wpcom with a thorough manual check on security flaw issues which may take a significate time. [which version of Fauna is currently on wpcom?]

btw, I've just had a look at the Fauna b4 -- works just fine with nightly wpMU right out of the box.

/me thinks other themes' authors should be sponsored to include this stuff ;-)

and the reason surely is not that "an easier rollout of such features as the widgets and bug corrections".

the matter is original wordpress (b2) design (architecture, not that fancy skins) was never meant to be a multi- blog/user. [what would one expect from yet another PHP script]

although, personal header image upload [at least for the default kubrick] could be implemented, perhaps.

PS it's said this hack is gonna be just $200/h to implement (as a private custom order), till it's not be ready as an extra paid feature for all wp.com users (if ever).

So I'm guessing the answer to the original post is simply:

"There isn't a way right now unless you are hosted".

::ducking::

Or do you like the idea of seeing your website defaced? :)

"The best thing that can ever happen to a web service is to have passionate users. Users that notice and email you the second there’s a database problem, users that really push the limits of what you can provide, and users that are phenomally successful and bring thousands of others to your doors.

As a service provider, you have a strong responsibility to these folks. They’re putting their life online with you, they deserve nothing less than 100% uptime. They tell all their friends to try you out, they deserve for the experience of the hundred thousandth user to be as great as the tenth. WordPress.com is serving 4.2 million hits a day on a handful of boxes."

http://photomatt.net/2006/04/12/a-little-funding/

Marc wrote: "See ya... bye now."

Oh, Marc, so YOU decide who participates here - and who does not? There is nothing wrong with my offering my opinions and thoughts on the service. I have just as much right as you do. Period. Now........

That's odd, I didn't tell or command anyone to leave or stay. (maybe this will help you) I offered a parting salutation given your extreme unhappiness with this service.

You received one response from one of the developers (matt) and I would agree it was short and not the best that could have been offered. However given matt and the other developers spend less time here than the vast majority of us volunteers you would be better served by using the feedback form or direct email via the Automattic site.

Frankly I doubt if 99% of the forum users care one iota no matter how many "multi-millionare" WP.com developers/owners you dredge up. And BTW, a statement very much like "Certain services are not available now," is in fact available on the WP.com FAQ pages.

My own feeling is that a paid tier of services will arrive within the next few months (did you notice the quiet introduction of a Terms of Service?) and no, I would not be terribly surprised if it included the ability to upload a custom header. Matt's pointing out above that uploading headers is different to uploading themes is a bit of a giveaway ;)

Oh, Marc, so YOU decide who participates here - and who does not? There is nothing wrong with my offering my opinions and thoughts on the service. I have just as much right as you do. Period. Now........

I was responding in my second post to the comments left regarding my FIRST post. Redundancy? Yes, it's called repeating points made because none of the answers were logical, imo.

So, about custom headers.... is it "themes across the service?" Or, is it "security?" I think it's neither. Is this a live, growing, changing service? Or, is it a static - "this is it, it's finished and this is what you get," service? Oh.....far from it! (And that's great!)

So, let's be honest.....Wordpress.com is a project of the for-profit Automattic, Inc. Its CEO is Toni Schneider (who made a fortune from Oddpost's sale to Yahoo and worked at Yahoo before leaving to run Automattic). In his own blog he writes, "We plan to roll out some commercial services in the coming weeks based on the feedback we’ve been collecting."
http://toni.wordpress.com/2006/03/01/update/
NOW, can we have a little honesty? The commercial service IS the business model. This free version has been the "beta," if you will, for the COMMERCIAL project. That's all fine and great - but would anybody like to wager that the "commercial services" will include custom headers?

You can't talk down to users, have members tell another "bye now," because they ask tough questions. It's not about "security," it's not about "themes across the servers," it's about the coming commercial WordPress.com. Again - great! I truly wish Matt, Toni and the rest good luck. But just be HONEST about it! A simple, "Certain services are not available now - but will be in the paid version which is under development." How difficult is that???

-

just tried this: write an untitled post, include the pic of your choice, uncheck "allow comments" and "pings". The only problem is you'll have to change the time stamp to bump it at the top next time you post.
Not great, not bad either.

I am pretty sure Automattic™ guys would love allow header image uploading to all WP.com users.

unforunately it is just impossible here and now. by design.

because as drmike just damn right noticed above: "we all share the themes across the servers. If a change is made, it affects all those using the same theme."

as for TP service -- it's been designed as and built on a multi-user/blog platform from the very MT grounds and there's also different buisness model and target group indeed.

If you are just as unhappy about the response you receive from the developers of this product the same solution is available to you.

See ya... bye now.

And no, it's NOT a matter of wanting full HTML customization. Typepad, for instance, allows no HTML customization on its most basic plan, but you CAN upload a custom header. So, it's not necessary to allow for full HTML customization to allow a custom header. Basic.

Why "call out" Toni? Is he not the CEO?

Let's talk about "free." I am so tired of using free services and then, when there's a problem, being reminded it is free. Is it really? Yahoo is free, Google is free.....can we not complain and offer suggestions or come up with exotic theories about why something is being done? WordPress.com (Automattic) is no different. The fact is, Writely (the online word processor) is also "free" but was purchased by Google for HUGE bucks. So, my (and many others) participation with that "free" service helped the Writely team become very wealthy. The economic paradigm has changed. Whether or not one pays for a service offered publicly on the Internet has nothing to do with anything.

Back on topic: custom headers would not be a security threat and not allowing custom headers appears to be a way to stop a huge crush on the service as it kicks off (knowing it would keep many users away). There's just no other reason to not allow custom headers. None. Just ask Typepad.

There's still great hope for WordPress.com, but it will have to become more responsive to the obvious desires of many on this (and other) issues.

The issue with not being able to change your header probably lies in not being able to modify your html theme. Remember, we all share the themes across the servers. If a change is made, it affects all those using the same theme.

Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service. Free Service.

How many times does it have to be said?

Bye!