Skin comparison

Skin comments lifted from NiceSite -- ArthurClemens - 22 Apr 2005

There are many nice skins available for Twiki (see TWiki:Plugins/SkinPackage), I selected some:

Pro/con:

• Caboteria:
  • con: no outside users?
  • con: deosn't follow pattern of skins, view only and is jsut HTML
• Flexible:
  • pro: excellent flexibility
• GNU:
• Koala:
  • pro: multiple webs in groups, excellent support of web hierarchies (subwebs) and hidden webs. compiled generation allows potential wide customisation, and faster operation. Easy upgrade, fairly actively maintained. Valid HTML+CSS, works with all browsers. Alls prefs centralised in one topic. Not just a skin, incorporates also current useful bug fixes. Complete set of templates. Nice look & feel, with powerful features made easily available.
  • con: You should to be able to run a shell (bash) script on site for ease of use. Initial setup more complex than other skins. Long wait times for response from skin maintainers. Does not yet support DakarRelease. Appears to have some trouble with TWikiForms.
• Photon
• See:
  • Con: menu on bottom
• Seetoo:
  • pro: menu on top, but there are glitches with some browsers which remain to be worked out.
  • pro: menu on top is "always visible"
  • pro: maximises use of screen real-estate for the topic body
• Tiger:
  • pro: many neat features - might be ported to other skins?
  • con: Not maintained? The original TigerSkin is not maintained, but the version-two-release codenamed HobbesSkinDev is being maintained. [ TorbenGB - 01 Jun 2003 ]
• Void:
• LKF:
  • pro: fairly complete
  • pro: clean, simple
• UMM:
  • con: not released yet as a skin package
• Pattern:
  • Default TWiki skin
  • pro:
  • con:
• NatSkin:
  • pro:
    • high configurability on several levels
    • improved usability
    • improved navigation
    • improved template logic to ease mix-ins
    • integrated wikiwyg editor
    • lots of different themes and headerbar artwork for professional non-wiki like styles
    • emulates look&feel of TWiki (PatternSkin/Cairo), WordPress, MovableType, JotSpot and more
    • theme browser for instant theme switching
    • high integration with BlogPlugin
  • con: needs a couple of supplemental plugins

-- PeterMasiar - 26 May 2003

Is there an updated version of this rather important topic?

-- SvenDowideit - 13 Dec 2006

Not with appraisal. But we have the list of SkinPackages.

-- PeterThoeny - 13 Dec 2006

I've updated the pros & cons of the KoalaSkin

-- KeithHelfrich - 14 Dec 2006