This has been such a redundant topic it merits some attention.  This article is to serve both as an explanation and recommendation.  

Do Looks Matter?

I’ve gone toe to toe with graphic designers and marketing professionals on this matter.  The following is MY OPINION and will clearly be arguable, but nonetheless I’ll convey my argument.

In the years of doing this I’ve had plenty of clients that were WAY pre-occupied with how their site will look.  So much so it actually hindered the functioning and productivity of their web site.  This type of mind set seems to place ALL value of the web site and what it can offer in terms of visual esthetics.  

CMS = Content Management System

Many who are used to static HTML pages often have a natural confusion as to how a CMS template really works.  They are more accustomed to functionality and form blending together.  This page will explain what a CMS template is in general concept.

With a CMS or CMF (Content Management Framework as in the case of Drupal), the template and platform core are two totally separate things.

I’ll give an analogy of a car to illustrate this.