Why aren't master pages part of themes?

[Seefor]

I may be missing something, but why aren't master pages part of themes?
i.e. why don't they go in the App_Themes or global Themes directory, and be
referenced just by name (not full path) in the declaration for a page?

That way, you can change the complete layout by just applying the theme to a
page or a whole site.

I know that if your master pages are XHTML, then you can change the layout
significantly with CSS, but there are situations where that doesn't give you
enough control.

What am I missing?

 

[clintonG]

Missing the fact that a loosely coupled architecture can be beneficial. We
can programmatically change MasterPages very much like we can Themes both
independently of one another.

<%= Clinton Gallagher
METROmilwaukee (sm) "A Regional Information Service"
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://metromilwaukee.com/
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/