It's not a 'sadly' thing.
XML isn't anything to be scared of. It's not a programming language or anything. Once you get the basics and start to understand them it's straightforward. SI have made the names of items fairly self explanatory too.
Also you don't NEED to know XML at all. You can very very easily change the way a skin looks just by altering graphics files and not even touching the XML (bar changing the main skin xml for skin name etc).
My advice would be to look at what is there already - look through the graphics and panels folders (in the main data folder). If you want to change things DON'T CHANGE THEM IN THE MAIN DATA FOLDER - add them to a new skin folder (see how flexion is set up and use that). Basically experiment and see what happens. You can very easily teach yourself.
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How do I make my own skin? 
Linear Mode
