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I agree with tjnemez, if you are wanting more advanced XOOPS customisation (and yes, custom templates ARE on the advanced side of the fence) then I think you'd be best off seeking the paid services of a professional theme/template designer such as 7dana.com (among others).
I think you'll find Skythe that XOOPS is indeed a very friendly CMS for new comers. 99.99% of those new to XOOPS who have never dealt with web technology before wouldn't even know what a template was if they fell over it, and for basic usage they don't need to. Another thing Skythe, you might not realise but your attitude comes off as being VERY negative. This is a community site, so if you don't like the level of support, documentation, faq's or whatever about Xoops, then do something about it and pitch in with your own time and skills to help make it better for everyone.