I have a question about the mods on steam for skyrim, is there anything special I have to do for these files? or do they automatically get installed like dawnguard, dragonborn or hearthfire?

just go into the launcher and make sure its checked in Data Files

So I dont have to unpack them and install them manually like skyrim nexus? Sweet. This will be very handy.

everything from Steamworks self installs, so just make sure the file is checked

Sweet. Time to download Down the rabbit hole! How do I go about uninstalling it though if I need to?

Unsubscribe from them on the workshop then delete the related files.

Just make sure to still install only a few at a time. Just because they install automatically doesn't mean they won't still conflict and cause a huge amount of issues if you run and install 80 mods at once.

Im only gonna do some here and there, right now just some water textures and flora textures. Im super careful with these things, so shouldnt be too much a problem. Im assuming I delete the files from the data file?

Also, if you have a save file you made in the Vanilla Game, keep a copy of that somewhere. It's what you want to use to test any new mods. This way your main characters will not get hosed by a bad mod combo. Never save over that Test Slot, if you have to make a save, make a new slot.

I don't think the Steam Workshop contains any texture mods as most of those are just replacers. I don't recommend using the Workshop. You will be very restricted to what you can download and you will be missing out on tons of mods if you exclusively use the Workshop. Yes, you can just delete the associated files from your data folder, but you should unsubscribe first before doing so. If you delete or change the downloaded mod files in any way, Steam will freak out and redownload the mod. Unsubscribing should uninstall the mod and any associated files, but one can never be sure when using the Workshop.

Be very careful about removing mods from your game, removing any mod (especially mods with papyrus scripting) has a chance to corrupt your save. http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1433310-what-is-a-clean-mod-and-a-clean-save/?p=22019875.

The only way to combat this is to make a hard save before installing any new mods, and reverting back to that save in the event you want to remove it.

And you would have no way of knowing if installing from the Workshop.

While I haven't used the SW, other than a few things when I built my rig, it has been suggested to try and stay with one type of management. ( That couldn't make enough sense as far as I'm concerned. )

If I was intent on using a SW file, I would subscribe, then copy the contents to a folder and compress it as a FOMOD to then be installed with your preferred manager.

From what I understand you must be connected to Steam for the mods to work, every time you start the game.

Someone correct me on any of this.

EDIT : It's this "automatic" implementation and manipulation of my game that I oppose. I don't want any updates or outside actions taken that I am not in control of, as I have no idea what is being added, deleted or changed.

From a http://www.creationkit.com/Introducing_the_Skyrim_Workshop#Finding_and_Installing_Mods on the Steam pages...