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In computing,
skins and themes are custom graphical
appearances (GUIs) that can be applied to
certain software and websites in order to suit
the different tastes of different users. Such
software is referred to as being skinnable, and
the process of writing or applying such a skin
is known as skinning. Applying a skin changes a
piece of software's look and feel — some skins
merely make the program more aesthetically
pleasing, but others can rearrange elements of
the interface, potentially making the program
easier to use. Although often used simply as a
synonym for skin, the term theme normally refers
to less-complex customisations, such as a set of
icons and matching colour scheme for an
operating system — notably, this is how the term
was used in association with Windows 95 and
Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95.
Probably the most popular customised skins are
for instant messaging clients and media players,
such as Trillian and Winamp, due to the
association with fun such programs try to
encourage. However, in programs which use a
cross-platform GUI toolkit, rather than using
the standard interface for the operating system
on which they are running, it is relatively easy
to add functionality to alter this interface
from within the program. For instance, both the
Mozilla and Opera web browsers are skinnable
because they take advantage of a cross-platform
toolkit. In the case of Mozilla, the entire
interface is written in XUL, CSS, and
JavaScript. Those who know these languages are
free to modify both its look and its behavior.
DirectSkin can be used to add skinning to
Windows applications Of course, it is also
possible to change the standard interface. Some
platforms have inbuilt support for this,
including most using the X Window System. For
those that do not, there are usually programs
that can add this functionality, like
WindowBlinds for Microsoft Windows and
Kaleidoscope for Mac OS.
Many websites are also skinnable, particularly
those which provide some interactive
capabilities. Again, some sites offer skins that
make primarily cosmetic changes, while some —
such as H2G2 — allow major changes to the layout
of pages. As with standalone software
interfaces, this is facilitated by the
underlying technology of the website — the use
of XML and XSLT, for instance, facilitates major
changes of layout, while CSS can be used to
easily produce different visual styles.
The benefit of skinning in user interfaces is
disputed. While some find it useful or pleasant
to be able to change the appearance of software
they use, a changed appearance can complicate
technical support and training. A user interface
that has been extensively customized by one
person may appear totally unfamiliar to another
person who knows the same software under a
different appearance.
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