Sponsored Styles and no ads on SSL login.bml
uniquewonders has spotted changelog commits for supporting something called sponsored styles: here and here.
uniquewonders postulated that it was either new styles or perhaps just making people able to see previews of the layouts. I lean towards the former, although I am by no means absolutely positive. This changelog mentions taking in the list of layouts and for users who are not paid, rearranging the list so that all of the Sponsored styles are at the top.
Now, if these are new styles that are sponsored in some way, the question is what does that mean? Some WordPress themes have sponsored links in footers by companies who paid the theme designers for the priviledge--this has been a source of controversy lately. Will this be like that? Or will it be more of a, mydarkestsecret makes a sponsored layout featuring stuff from the movie in hopes people will use it sort of deal?
Would the themes be available to Basic users? It would make sense--if the company was paying for this kind of viral marketing, you'd want the biggest possible install base.
Happy news: no ads on the SSL version of login.bml. I don't think it's gone into effect yet, but when it does, https://www.livejournal.com/login.bml should be clean.
uniquewonders postulated that it was either new styles or perhaps just making people able to see previews of the layouts. I lean towards the former, although I am by no means absolutely positive. This changelog mentions taking in the list of layouts and for users who are not paid, rearranging the list so that all of the Sponsored styles are at the top.
Now, if these are new styles that are sponsored in some way, the question is what does that mean? Some WordPress themes have sponsored links in footers by companies who paid the theme designers for the priviledge--this has been a source of controversy lately. Will this be like that? Or will it be more of a, mydarkestsecret makes a sponsored layout featuring stuff from the movie in hopes people will use it sort of deal?
Would the themes be available to Basic users? It would make sense--if the company was paying for this kind of viral marketing, you'd want the biggest possible install base.
Happy news: no ads on the SSL version of login.bml. I don't think it's gone into effect yet, but when it does, https://www.livejournal.com/login.bml should be clean.