.psf files, and the software that can edit them

[Mally]

I've been editing the look and feel of my OS since I got my first copy of 98, still am with XP Pro. I decided early this week I wanted to make something more, and went looking at what other people had done. I was amazed that so much could be changed, and so artfully in some cases.

In one of the many tutorials I read, the author talked a bit about the classic Colony skin by Mike Bryant. I went to look for a copy of it, and grabbed it. I'd already downloaded Skin Studio, and had been playing with it, and of course, for that to work, I also had to have WindowBlinds. So far, so good, I thought.

Well, it turns out that Colony is a .psf file which needs yet another software package to open and install it. So, I downloaded PowerArchiver, and indeed the .psf file did open. I still couldn't install it on the whole OS, only on PA. That confused me because I read on a PA tute that touted the achievements of WB, SS, and Theme Manager, the latter of which I didn't have yet, as though they could all work together along with the PS CS3 I already own.

So, I have a bunch of questions, the first being, is there a tute that will teach me how these software packages relate, specifically 1. how I can see Colony applied to all of my apps, not just PA and 2. how can I open that .psf file using SS? I'm kinda stuck, and don't know where to look for answers at this point. If you can give me some directions or links to tutorials, I'd be much obliged.