HU Students' Skin Featured in
Windowsmedia.com Gallery

"West African Gnome", a Windows Media Player skin created by HU students is downloadable from the Microsoft http://www.windowsmedia.com/ skins gallery. A skin is a custom Windows Media Player interface that is an expression of digital artistry and functional utility. The Windowsmedia.com skins gallery contains skins that have satisfied rigorous Windows Media test criteria. Microsoft or professional interactive media organizations developed most skins in the gallery.

Marcus Johnson (College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Sciences-CEACS) and Jennifer Young (John H. Johnson School of Communications) intended the skin to be aesthetically consistent with the coloring and markings commonly found on authentic West African Gnome woodcarvings. The Gnome skin is a package with files containing images, Jscript and XML. Gnome was originally submitted as a required assignment for Digital Media Applications, an interdisciplinary course cross-listed by the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Communications and the College of Engineering, Architecture & Computer Sciences. DMA course instructors, Drs. Gary Harris, C.C. Lee and Todd Shurn, encouraged students continually to improve their skins and submit them to Windowsmedia.com for gallery consideration.

Microsoft provided the DMA students with Windows Media player handbooks and development software. Keith Toussaint, Windows Media program manager and Howard alumnus, says "this is a great example of how industry, alumni and faculty can bring a more relevant educational experience to students to prepare them for the challenges of industry."