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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. Originally, the word computing was synonymous with counting and calculating, and a science and technology that deals with the original sense of computing mathematical calculations. ...
In computing, a theme is a preset package containing graphical appearance details, used to customise the look and feel of (typically) an operating system, widget set or window manager. ...
A graphical user interface (or GUI, often pronounced gooey), is a particular case of user interface for interacting with a computer which employs graphical images and widgets in addition to text to represent the information and actions available to the user. ...
Software, or program, enables a computer to perform specific tasks, as opposed to the physical components of the system (hardware). ...
A website (or Web site) is a collection of web pages, typically common to a particular domain name or subdomain on the World Wide Web on the Internet. ...
Look and feel refers to design aspects of a graphical user interface - in terms of both colours, shapes, layout, typefaces, etc (the look); and, the behaviour of dynamic elements such as buttons, boxes, and menus (the feel). It is used in reference to both software and websites. ...
Nuvola icons for KDE are available in PNG format, which come in six sizes, and SVG format, which is scalable On computer displays, a computer icon is a small pictogram. ...
An operating system (OS) is a computer program that manages the hardware and software resources of a computer. ...
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. ...
Microsoft Plus! is an operating system enhancement package provided by Microsoft. ...
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. A screenshot of PowWow, one of the first instant messengers with a graphical user interface Instant messaging or IM is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text. ...
In computing, a client is a system that accesses a (remote) service on another computer by some kind of network. ...
Media player is a term typically used to describe computer software for playing back multimedia files. ...
Trillian is a multiprotocol instant messaging application for Windows created by Cerulean Studios that can connect to multiple IM programs from one client, such as AIM, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, IRC, Novell GroupWise Messenger, Bonjour, Jabber, and Skype networks (the latter four with Trillian Pro which allows for additonal...
Winamp is a multimedia player made by Nullsoft. ...
A cross-platform (or platform independent) programming language, software application or hardware device works on more than one system platform (e. ...
In computer programming, widget toolkits (or GUI toolkits) are sets of basic building elements for graphical user interfaces. ...
An operating system (OS) is a computer program that manages the hardware and software resources of a computer. ...
Mozilla is a computer term which has had many different uses, though all of them have been related to the now-defunct Netscape Communications Corporation and its related application software. ...
Opera is an Internet suite which handles common internet-related tasks, including visiting web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, and online chat. ...
An example of a web browser (Internet Explorer) showing the main Wikipedia web page. ...
XUL (pronounced zool ()), the XML User Interface Language, is an XML user interface markup language developed by the Mozilla project. ...
In computing, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a stylesheet language used to describe the presentation of a document written in a markup language. ...
JavaScript is the name of Netscape Communications Corporations implementation of the ECMAScript standard, a scripting language based on the concept of prototype-based programming. ...
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. Image File history File links Screenshot of DirectSkin sample application distributed by Stardock. ...
Image File history File links Screenshot of DirectSkin sample application distributed by Stardock. ...
DirectSkin is a software component that is used by software developers to add skinning capability to their applications, which may or may not be exposed to end-users. ...
Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary operating systems by Microsoft. ...
KDE 3. ...
WindowBlinds is a computer program that allows users to skin the Windows graphical user interface. ...
Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary operating systems by Microsoft. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
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. There are several conceptual views of interactivity, the most general being the contingency view. ...
H2G2 is also an acronym for the The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ...
The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a W3C-recommended general-purpose markup language that supports a wide variety of applications. ...
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In computing, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a stylesheet language used to describe the presentation of a document written in a markup language. ...
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. Technical support (also tech support) is a range of services providing assistance with computer hardware, software, or other electronic or mechanical goods. ...
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Skinning communities Windows XP is a line of proprietary operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on general-purpose computer systems, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, and media centers. ...
. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions. ...
Invision Power Board (abbreviated IPB or IP.Board) is an Internet forum software produced by Invision Power Services, Inc. ...
RealPlayer is a media player, created by RealNetworks, that plays a number of multimedia formats including MP3, MPEG-4, QuickTime, and Windows Media formats as well as multiple versions of proprietary RealAudio and RealVideo codecs. ...
Interior Cockpit of a modern Flight Simulator A flight simulator is a system that tries to replicate, or simulate, the experience of flying an aircraft as closely and realistically as possible. ...
Winamp is a multimedia player made by Nullsoft. ...
The WinCustomize logo features a tramp, a reference to changing appearance using skins WinCustomize. ...
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