- Skin (computing)
In
computing , skins may be associated with themes as custom graphical appearances (GUIs) that can be applied to certain software andwebsite s in order to suit the different tastes of different users.Software which is capable of having a skin applied 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 anoperating system — notably, this is how the term was used in association withWindows 95 andMicrosoft Plus! for Windows 95.Common skinnable applications
Probably the most popular customised skins are for
instant messaging clients and media players, such as Trillian andWinamp , due to the association with fun such programs try to encourage. However, in programs which use across-platform GUI toolkit , rather than using the standard interface for theoperating system on which they are running, it is relatively easy to add functionality to alter this interface from within the program. For instance, both theMozilla and Operaweb browser s are skinnable because they take advantage of a cross-platform toolkit. In the case of Mozilla, the entire interface is written inXUL , CSS, andJavaScript . Those who know these languages are free to modify both its look and its behavior.tandard interface
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, likeWindowBlinds forMicrosoft Windows andShapeShifter forMac OS X .Model-view-controller
Skinning is typically implemented with a
Model-view-controller architecture, which allows for a flexible structure in which the interface is independent from and indirectly linked to application functionality, so the GUI can be easily customized. This allows the user to select or design a different skin at will, and also allows for more deep changes in the position and function of the interface elements.Pros and cons
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. It is often said byusability practitioners that this flexibility "requires the user to be an expert interaction designer" in order to tailor the software for best use.Websites
Many websites are also skinnable, particularly those which provide some
social capabilities. Again, some sites offer skins that make primarily cosmetic changes, while some — such asH2G2 — 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 ofXML andXSLT , for instance, facilitates major changes of layout, while CSS can be used to easily produce different visual styles.External links
Skinning communities
* [http://themes.belchfire.net/index.php?dlcategory=1 Belchfire] – skins for the
Windows XP user interface
* [http://www.customize.org Customize.org] – general skinning site online since 1998
*deviantART – [http://skins.deviantart.com/ Skins & Themes Gallery]
* [http://www.invisionpower.fr/ Invision Power France] – skins forInvision Power Board
* [http://realone.real.com/?subsection=skins A RealNetworks site] forRealPlayer skins
* [http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/ Simmers Paintshop] – creating skins forflight simulator s andcomputer games
*Skinbase – [http://www.skinbase.org skins and wallpapers]
* [http://www.skinnables.org skinnables.org] – catalogue of freeware skinnable applications
* [http://www.skinning.net/ Skinning.net] – a skinning forum
* [http://www.skinz.org Skinz.org] – a skin & graphics site
* [http://www.winamp.com/skins/ A Winamp site] forWinamp skins
*WinCustomize – [http://www.wincustomize.com skins for the Windows user interface]
* [http://www.winmodify.net WinModify.com] – windows modification site
* [http://skins.birdline.gr/index.html Birdline] – Samplitude skinsContent management system theme archives
* [http://www.aphexthemes.com/ Aphex Themes] – themes live preview for
XOOPS CMS
* [http://foxtheme.com/ FoxTheme.com] – themes forWordpress ,Joomla! ,Drupal CMS
* [http://themeartists.com/ ThemeArtists.com] – themes for Drupal CMS
* [http://themegarden.org/drupal50/ Themegarden.org] – themes live preview for Drupal CMS
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