Hey just something that i've been looking for but cant find the answer

from WinCustomize Forums
Hey sorry to bug or take up some space but i have tried looking and couldnt really get a clear answer.

what is the difference between a shell and a skin....in some easy terms that i can understand heh and also do you really need both of them together or can you have just a skin or just a shell and which programs do both if any? Thanks for the help i appreciate it
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Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
From a non-techie:

They do different things.

A shell is sort of the "file management" part of the operating system. Windows Explorer is the default shell used by Windows. Shell replacement programs like LiteStep replace the normal shell with something that works similarly but has some differences in context menus & a bunch of other things that shell-replacement officionados could better explain, that make certain tasks more easily or intuitively accomplished than in Explorer and/or add some functionality missing in Explorer.

The GUI of the OS can be skinned by things like WindowBlinds & StyleXP. And shell-replacement programs can be skinned - there are skinning sites devoted to each of the alternative shells, I believe.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hmmm ok i think i got it......but most people combine the 2 right....they start by shelling and then they then they skin is that pretty much correct?
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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
kind of,programs like windowsblinds will change the way XP looks but not the way it acts.Programs like Lightstep can change the way it acts and looks.If you just want to change look[ie. skins]you go with Windowblinds.If you need better access to certain programs and applications then you may want to try a program like Lightstep[ie. shell]which you can also change the look of[ie. theme]In the the end both programs will change how your XP looks but only programs like lightstep will also change how it acts. hope this helps
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

A shell is a program [or group of programs] that allows interface by the user with the Operating System Kernel.

Normally [in Windows] that is a process called 'explorer.exe' which also includes the file manager [also called 'explorer.exe'].  In Win 3x the equivalent was handled by 2 processes with different names...'progman.exe' and 'fileman.exe'.

What the shell can then be made to do [through add-ons such as Windowblinds] is change its appearance and even with functionality enhancements.

Or, one can simply ignore the default shell and install and run an alternative [eg Litestep] which gives you the potential to do 'stranger' things that Mister Gates may not have anticipated.

Either way, both 'need' and definitely benefit from the adoption of Windowblinds which, even with no Explorer shell still skins the actual windows themselves.

In comparison, a skin is simply the graphics and/or configuration applied to a program or shell to change its appearance...but in the case of 'skinning' a shell the result is called a 'theme'...

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yeah, what those guys said.