I will mos def agree that "tiny" can sometimes be considered synonomous with 'useless'. In some situations small can be useful, but not for something that you need to be able to read on a regular basis, or decipher what the graphic is.

I think the problem lies in the fact that most people who make themes, skins, whatever, come from a digital art/computer science backgroud. Yet user interface design should be based around ergonomics, behavioural and cognitive theory. These disciplines should be the primary focus. With that as the primary focus, graphic design is implicit.

Litestep should not be considered a tool for creation of interactive digital art, but a tool to help improve the ease of use of humanity's greatest creation to date.

But then again, if that's what you want to use it for, than more power to ya. Here's to circuit bending.

I should note that when I find a theme I like (with the reasonable size buttons, clear taskbar and systray), I tend to attempt to give the theme the ability to be reduced to a single button in one of the bottom corners. I find this useful when working in an app where screen-space is critical (ie: multitrack audio production... see: Cubase SX, Samplitude, etc.). This button usually allows direct access to a Tasks popup and a normal popup, as well as restoration to full-theme mode.