Windows Vista Skin
What is Windows Vista Skin? Well, before answering
this question I would like to explain what is the skin?
Basically, skins define the appearance of certain elements
in the Graphical User Interface. For example, color
of the skin in human body varies, from person to person.
Some are white, some are brown and some are in reddish
white. In computer, the concept behind skin is the same
as the skin in human being. Skins define the way of
appearance for Graphical User Interface elements such
as Window border color, title bar color, scrollbar color
etc. Skin changes software’s look.
An introduction to skinning
The process of applying skins to the software is called
as skinning. Some software have different look. They
have their own predefined colors which is also nothing
but a different skin. For such softwares, one cannot
apply the operating system defined skins. The time required
to apply the skin to the operating system varies from
computer to computer, because, it depends on the speed
of the CPU, amount of Memory available which resides
inside the computer. Some skins merely make the program
more pleasing with classical look, but other skins can
arrange or rearrange elements of the interface, making
the programs easier to use.
What is so special about skin?
The skin gives boost for working in computer environment,
as colors appear to be different from skin to skin.
There are many skins available for applying in windows
vista. Basically Vista has got a skin similar to that
of Windows XP, but with different color i.e. coffee
black and this is the default skin for Windows Vista.
There are other color schemes in this category. They
are Silver and Olive Green. In this scheme, the start
button, task bar, title bar of windows, maximize, minimize,
and close buttons appear differently from the classical
windows 98 appearance.
Windows Vista Skin Categories
The title bar and Maximize, Minimize, and close buttons
appear larger than that in Windows 98. Vista on the
other hand supports Aero, which is also a theme, which
has got some advanced features such as 3D windowing.
Vista also supports classical view to keep backward
compatibility. There are more skins in this category.
The skins are, Windows Standard, Windows classic,
Wheat, Teal, etc.
How to modify Windows Vista Skin?
One can modify the colors in this category by selecting
appropriate windows element, show in preview picture.
One can do so, by right clicking any where on desktop.
The right click gives a window that appears with different
tabs, which are labeled as Desktop, Screen Saver, Appearance,
Settings etc. Select appearance tab, then in "Windows
and Button" item select Windows classic. Now select
Advanced. A new window appears. Select the element one
want to change the color. And change the color. And
Click on OK Button. Then click on Apply, which will
change the setting to the color you have just selected.
There are many more skins available through Windows
Vista Transformation Packs and Plus! software for Windows
Vista. One needs to pay more for these additional softwares.
There are some web sites offering their own transformation
pack, for lesser rate, trail purposes, or even for Free.
Many Software professionals are also trying to bring
their own skins for Windows Vista. |
