Haha! I suppose a compiler COULD make any kind of software environment!

The short story, if you want the technical answer, is that the engine allows you to map data to a model and the model to events that will display, edit, retrieve or use that data. So you can can create a "theme" that maps data for a particular platform or set of preferences.

The scary answer is that data and "objects" are modeled by a sort of hybrid between group theory and number theory (to represent states). Then using, algebraic techniques, the system "solves" your problem.

In practice it isn't all that scary and it will be even less-so as the first "theme" takes shape. Which is why I need feedback / ideas / complaints.

If you want more technical details, see these:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/h7777vq6jqv2555t/

www.cs.vu.nl/CMSGA/slides/long.ppt

If you can't get to that springer article let me know and I'll check to see if I am allowed to post it. These are a little outdated, but mostly valid.

In addition to directly mapping objects to "views" things like GTK+ app windows can also be mapped into the environment providing compatibility with normal applications.