Beta testers needed!

[NOTE: thanks to everyone who volunteered to beta-test. I'll be contacting some of you on Monday, October 5. I've closed the comments, as I already have enough volunteers.]

I’m really pleased to announce that next week I’m going to be ready to start beta-testing my new theme for photographers with a few select users.

I’ve been working almost non-stop on the darn thing for about 5 months, and it is truly a beast. For some of the truly awe-inspiring features, I got help from WordPress super-guru Ozh.  Maybe I’m a bit biased, but I honestly think it may be the most powerful WordPress theme ever created in the history of the galaxy.

So here’s the deal: I need about a dozen people to test the theme for me, use it on their blog, report bugs back to me, tell me things that are confusing, stupid, sweet, or broken.  In return you get to keep the theme for free, and to be one of the first people on the planet to use the thing.

Qualifications:

  1. You must be confidently able to backup your blog before and during testing in case anything goes wrong.  I can’t imagine why anything would, but I’m trying to cover my a** here — I’m releasing this thing into the wild for the first time and it might eat kittens and other small mammals.
  2. You must be confident with uploading themes and files to your blog using FTP.  You’re going to have to install the theme yourself (which just means uploading a folder to the right spot on your webserver), and upload patch files as I squash bugs over the course of a few weeks.
  3. You must be willing to send me an email now and then with clear descriptions of bugs, features you think need to be added, things you love, etc.
  4. You must agree to write a couple of posts about it on a Photography forum where you’ve been a member for a while — one or two short posts when you start to get things looking sweet, and then a brief, objective review of the product (I’m not mandating what you say at all, just tell the truth) at the end of the testing period.

So, if you’re interested, please leave a comment on this post. Please leave all of the following info:

  1. email address in the comment form (don’t put it in the comment itself, just in the form so that only I can see it)
  2. name of photography forum where you post and how long you’ve been a member
  3. name of your web hosting company (I want to be sure to try this on a few different setups)

Please note: I will only be able to choose a dozen at most, so I apologize in advance if I don’t pick you.  Stay tuned, there will be a couple other ways to get the theme for free over the course of the next couple weeks.

Also note: anyone who has purchased the original ProPhoto theme will be eligible for a pretty deep discount on this new theme, so if you’re reading this and worried about not wanting to buy too early, it might be wise just to go ahead and buy the current ProPhoto.  The discount you will receive when the new theme is finally releasedthe difference in price between the two or less. And it might still be a ways before the new one is released.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 29th, 2008 and is filed under Announcements. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

41 Responses to “Beta testers needed!”

  1. On September 29th, 2008 at 9:45 am Dustin Francis said:

    Jared,

    As on of the first ProPhoto users, I have complete faith in your products and support and I would love to help you out and showcase your new ‘baby’. I can’t wait to see the new theme!

    Thanks for all you have done!

    Dustin Francis

  2. On September 29th, 2008 at 9:54 am Melissa McClure said:

    Hi Jared,
    I’m interested! I’ve been a part of OSP for almost 2 years and I’m active (one of the top posters) on a local San Diego forum with over 100 users. I use BlueHost for hosting my blog ;)

    Thanks!

  3. On September 29th, 2008 at 10:20 am Matt said:

    I can do everything on your list and beta test it for you no problemo!

    OSP (Open Source Photo) – 3 months
    The Crazies (www.thecraziesforum.net) – 1.5 years (founding member)

    Web Hosting: Dreamhost
    FTP: Filezilla

    I do have one question? Are we still able to customize it anyway we want? Even if that means changing the page width? Or do we have to wait until after it’s released? I usually change the page width to be alot smaller – about 780px wide.

    Thanks,

    Matt-

  4. On September 29th, 2008 at 10:27 am Dustin Francis said:

    Ooops, forgot to leave my info, even though I know you have it.

    OSP about a year
    FredMiranda a few years

    Bluehost baby!

  5. On September 29th, 2008 at 10:34 am Samantha Bender said:

    I would love to try this out for you! Your first blog is amaZing and I’m so excited to see the second!
    I’ve been a member of OSP for 4 years and OPS (yes, similar name but it’s a smaller forum) for about 1 year…I was one of the first members!
    I host with bluehost.
    THANK YOU!
    Sam

  6. On September 29th, 2008 at 10:47 am Stephen Bobb said:

    Jared,
    I love the first theme, so I’d be more than willing to help you test out the next version.

    I’m a member of the Digital Wedding Forum (about 4 years) and use GoDaddy to host.

    Thanks,
    Stephen

  7. On September 29th, 2008 at 10:47 am Chris Goetz said:

    Hey Jared,

    We’d love to help you test this one out! We’re members of the [b] school (private school) since day one, and also are members of OSP since 12/07 – haven’t been posting much there, but certainly post when we’re ready to rave about something! We host with IX Web Hosting.

    Hope you pick us! :)
    Chris (& Sara) – Sara Goetz Photography

  8. On September 29th, 2008 at 11:00 am Raquita said:

    I would love love love to test your theme
    DWF since March as a start memeber and June as a pro member – OSP for about three months, Joe camel for a while too.

    I can do all the things mentioned previously and I host with AnHosting.

  9. On September 29th, 2008 at 11:02 am Raquita said:

    you may want to let Holly Mccaig in on this too – she does sites for photographers and makes all of her clients purchase your theme -

  10. On September 29th, 2008 at 11:19 am Raquita said:

    I also meant to note i expect to join the B school on Oct 1st

  11. On September 29th, 2008 at 11:30 am photoTristan said:

    I’m on http://www.dgrin.com and OSP for a few years and host with Dreamhost.

  12. On September 29th, 2008 at 11:42 am Michelle Ellis said:

    Hey Jared, I’d LOVE to help you beta test this(:

  13. On September 29th, 2008 at 12:17 pm Desiree said:

    Hi Jared – If you need someone who is pretty new at the whole blog thing to give it a go, I’d love to help. I am almost finished designing your pro photo template – even though I didn’t know the first thing about CSS or html, I found your product to be extremely easy to install, design and customize. So as opposed to someone who would be testing it with a lot of background in blogs, I can offer the perspective of someone less experienced. I am a member of Beyond Just Images, DWF Start, and Photo For the People. My webhost is Bluehost. I can do all the requirements you asked for except backup, which I’m going to go figure out right now… ;)

    Des (tandemimagesdesign.com/blog)

  14. On September 29th, 2008 at 1:16 pm Jamie said:

    Jared,

    I have been looking forward to the new theme and would love to give it a try. BluDomain is my hosting company and I am a member of OSP and PIctage and have been for about 5 years. I am also the Pictage PUG Leader in my area. Let me know if you want me to try it out and I will help in any way I can!

    Jamie

  15. On September 29th, 2008 at 2:21 pm George Natis said:

    Hi Jared,
    I am about to make the switch from my old blog to your theme and just purchased the old one. As I am in the process to set everything up from scratch, there is not much which can be screwed except that I can always import my actual data from my blogger account.

    I am a member of the OSP Forum where I like to be very often.

    I just made the switch upon your recommendation and went to Bluehost for my future blog and website.

    If I can be of any help and testdrive the new one with my setup, lemme know.

  16. On September 29th, 2008 at 4:03 pm Angela said:

    I would love to beta test it. I love love love my pro photo theme!

  17. On September 29th, 2008 at 4:16 pm Erik Matey said:

    Hi!
    I would like to be considered!
    I found your site and have been a member of the DWF forum for 2 years. I am also on the FW Forum, and the new [b]School.

    My hosting company is Westhost.

    Thanks for the consideration.
    ~erik

  18. On September 29th, 2008 at 4:57 pm Chatti said:

    Hi Jared,

    Here’s my info.

    I would post in the Bschool since I’m a member already due to private school. and in open source. You might know the bschool by becker just started so I’ve been a member for like what? less than a month. but open source member for a year now.

    Also i have bluhost per your recommendation. can’t wait to see the theme!

  19. On September 29th, 2008 at 5:56 pm chris said:

    if you can save me a spot for next week i would gladly try it for you. you are doing a handheld for me right now, since i am too slammed to breathe let alone get the blog up. let me know, i am in the land of walmart vendors, so i would pitch the hell out of it.

    take care-

    chris

  20. On September 29th, 2008 at 6:00 pm chris said:

    1. bludomain is who i host with. sorry been editing since 6am

    2. im not a member of any forums, but i am a member of the Northwest Arkansas Photo Society, and teach several classes for them.

  21. On September 29th, 2008 at 10:15 pm Jackie Blair said:

    I would love to see the new theme! I’m really happy with the theme you guys customized for me- thanks!

  22. On September 30th, 2008 at 6:29 am robin said:

    Jared, I am interested and can handle the ftp/techie stuff (pretty sure anyway). My host is a little company called ICDSoft and I’ve been on OSP for 8-9 months.

  23. On September 30th, 2008 at 7:31 am Emily Weiss said:

    Looks like you have a ton of willing participants. So one more for the mix

    I am on two smaller forums, Skye Hardwick’s Creative mentoring forum and Pinkle Toes 4 Photographers. I am also on Prophotogs and OSP.

    I use Bluhost for hosting.

    Cant wait to see wait you have come up with!

  24. On September 30th, 2008 at 7:44 am Justin said:

    Hi, I am also willing to Beta test. I’ve got a good working knowledge of PHP/MySQL as well, so I could try fixes out that I recommend.

    My hosting company is Dreamhost.

    I’m a member of photo.net, fredmiranda.com, photography-on-the.net for about 4 months, and still waiting on my OSP to be approved. I’ve been most active in the dpreview.com forums (over 5 years) and the Camera and Photography sections of Yahoo! Answers (where I’m a Level 5 top contributor with 90% best answers).

  25. On September 30th, 2008 at 11:08 am Andy Schwartz said:

    I’d love to check it out.
    Also an OSP member for a yea, and Flickr – SWPB (STarting a wedding Photography Business) forum for over a year.
    Our site is currently hosted with Dreamhost and work for GPGeek.com and provide hosting. I’d love to try it there as well.

    Andy

  26. On September 30th, 2008 at 3:01 pm Kristen said:

    No way!!! Omigosh, I KNEW this was going to happen the minute I bought the ProPhoto theme. I could just feel it! Anyway, if you want a tester, I’m totally willing. I haven’t even started with the other ProPhoto theme – it just finished downloading. My current blog is with blogger, so I have a clean slate wordpress-wise :)

  27. On September 30th, 2008 at 4:26 pm Shannon Velloza said:

    Hi Jared,

    Just a quick shot out to say I love ProPhoto and would love to test out the new version. I’ll be buying it regardless:) I currently host on Dreamhost and I belong to PROPS message board along with ILP. Can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with:)

  28. On September 30th, 2008 at 6:37 pm Chelsea Beck said:

    I would love love love to be a tester!! I have been eyeing your first theme for a while. I host with godaddy and have been a member of OSP for 4 months and also the blu domain users group on flikr. Thanks!

  29. On September 30th, 2008 at 7:27 pm christine said:

    ah, man, I go ONE DAY without checking my reader and look what I missed! i’d love to beta test for you if you still need help…

  30. On September 30th, 2008 at 9:27 pm Mark Gardner said:

    I’ll volunteer.

    Member just about everywhere, DWF since 2002, FWF, [b]private school.

    Host with Bluehost, FTP using Yummy

    -Mark

  31. On October 1st, 2008 at 8:05 am Tonee Lawrence said:

    I’ll beta!! I loooooove your stuff!

  32. On October 1st, 2008 at 6:56 pm Allen Gambrell said:

    I would love to test out your new theme. I have done edited some wordpress themes myself and should be able to help you out with most of the bugs.

    Site: Pro4um – 6 years
    Host: Bludomain – upload with filezilla
    mysite: http://www.gambrellphotography.com/blog

  33. On October 1st, 2008 at 8:18 pm Chatti said:

    MEOW! Love your tips, love your template. i would make you proud. i’ll tell everyone and their momma not just on forums we’ll do that too open source, facebook, myspace, thebschool, fast track photography but i am part of the mile high photographers in denver and participate in the coffee shop tutorials every month plus we’ll post it on our blog how much we love it, and give honest opinions when needed!

  34. On October 1st, 2008 at 10:53 pm Melissa Koehler said:

    I would love to if it’s still available

  35. On October 3rd, 2008 at 8:35 am Mike said:

    Hi,

    I bought your original template to use at http://www.pixor.co.uk, and love it. I’d like to beta test your new one. I use hostrocket for my hosting, and run a software development team, so I can give you plenty of detailed feedback on your template.

    Thanks!

  36. On October 3rd, 2008 at 8:36 am Mike said:

    P.S., I am a member of, and post to the forums on ephotozine.com.

  37. On October 3rd, 2008 at 10:41 am sergio mottola said:

    hi, i am a photographer from seattle. i would love to test this theme. i was frustrated with wordpress because i couldnt find a good theme, so i resorted to blogger. i would love to give WP another try with this theme. i specialize in wedding and portrait photography, and i am a regular at the FredMiranda forums and POTN.

  38. On October 3rd, 2008 at 10:42 am sergio mottola said:

    oh and my host is bestreseller.com :)

  39. On October 3rd, 2008 at 11:47 am Pete Stewardson said:

    I’m guessing you’ve got enough betas now but I figured what the heck.

    I post on talkphotography.co.uk and also thebschool.com where I’m a private school member.

    I host my files on my friends hosting safenetsystems.co.uk

    Desperately need a blog theme so will be looking at buying the new one anyway if it looks good.

    Thanks

    Pete

  40. On October 3rd, 2008 at 12:23 pm Adam Dodson said:

    I’m on the Digital Wedding Forum since 2004 and the [b] school since Wednesday. If you are still looking for beta testers, I’d love to!

  41. On October 3rd, 2008 at 12:24 pm Adam Dodson said:

    D’oh! And I host with Site5.