You think any OS can look as beautiful as Vista?

[snakeeyes]

I am not using Vista myself, and nor am I trying to start a flame war. My point is that Vista's UI is probably the best I have ever seen. My Linux desktop and even my Mac book which has Leopard on it look like garbage compared to Vista.

I am just wondering has anyone seen an interface better than Vista's?

[Whiffle]

Must be pure opinion...because I can't stand the vista interface. Its way over simplified and is annoying to use. Every time I use my dads laptop I'm thrilled to go back to mine, which has everything where I want it and working.

As far as prettyness goes, meh. To me it rates somewhere above the play-skool XP interface and below OS X. I'd rate the Kore desktop that I'm using on KDE above all of them, simply because its nice and dark and stays the heck out of my way.

[Nevon]

Well, I'm afraid that's a matter of taste. Personally I think that Vista's UI is decent. It's not horribly bad, but nothing great either. I used to like the Mac look, but now I just think the "metal" background looks cheesy, like someone had thrown it together in the GIMP in 30 seconds. It's hard to say that Linux looks a specific way since every distribution is different, but I've seen examples of it looking absolutely disgusting, as well as examples of it looking absolutely great.
But then again, this is my idea of a sweet looking desktop:
http://icedloki.deviantart.com/art/Desktop-as-seen-on-01-23-08-75406312
http://aycu17.webshots.com/image/40736/2001956948080227650_rs.jpg

[LaRoza]

I am not using Vista myself, and nor am I trying to start a flame war. My point is that Vista's UI is probably the best I have ever seen. My Linux desktop and even my Mac book which has Leopard on it look like garbage compared to Vista.

I am just wondering has anyone seen an interface better than Vista's?

Yes, I have seen Vista beaten at its own game.

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so my idea of beautiful will be different than others. I found Vista to look too sickly and decayed (too much green/yellow I guess), where the theme I use in GNOME (the Inhuman theme) is beautiful, to me.

http://vixta.sourceforge.net/ Vixta, Fedora with a Vista interface, but no bloat.

http://sourceforge.net/project/screenshots.php?group_id=206087

Themes:

http://www.kde-look.org/

http://www.gnome-look.org/

My theme for Fluxbox: http://www.box-look.org/content/show.php/Black%2BWhite?content=72542

My screenshots: http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2007/12/21/an-interview-with-laroza/ (GNOME now has AWN, not in screenshot)

<edit>
Other notable looks:

gOS http://thinkgos.com/

DreamLinux http://www.dreamlinux.com.br/

Elive http://www.elivecd.org/Main/Screenshots/

[snakeeyes]

I have already seen some of the themes shown and yeah some themes do look very fancy and stuff, Vixta wasn't bad either, but for some reason Vista looks very elegant and simple. Also u can change color schemes on it right?

Vista doesn't have compiz fusion like we do, but still their 3d effects perfectly match the interface.

If I compare Linux to Mac OS X then Linux wins easily, OS X is probably the ugliest I ever saw, ecspecially that plastic metal look they have.

[Lord Illidan]

I don't think Vista looks bad. It's definitely an improvement over XP, and probably better than Ubuntu's default theme. However, I doubt it's better than Leopard, based purely on screenshots.

That said..I now use the aurora gtk engine - midnight black, and holy crap..it looks beautiful!

That said..beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. It's possible to make Ubuntu look very much like Vista if you wish.

[snakeeyes]

I don't think Vista looks bad. It's definitely an improvement over XP, and probably better than Ubuntu's default theme. However, I doubt it's better than Leopard, based purely on screenshots.

That said..I now use the aurora gtk engine - midnight black, and holy crap..it looks beautiful!

That said..beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. It's possible to make Ubuntu look very much like Vista if you wish.
You r right, we can make the Linux GUI resemble Vista, but I wouldn't do that for 2 reasons:

1. I hate copying other OS's, I want something unique and better.
2. No matter what theme u apply to gnome or kde it will never look like Vista itself.

Your interface was nice and I like dark themes, but this was just too dark.

KDE and gnome interface developers seriously need to make the interface more attractve atleast KDE 4 looks decent, cause even though compiz fusion is awesome, but with an ugly interface, its useless.

[shad0w_walker]

XD *dies laughing* Oh wait. You're serious. Let me laugh harder.

Seriously, beauty is a matter of perspective and I can't stand the Vista GUI. I much prefer a plane standard grey on my windows installs (What ones I have left) because the new GUIs always feel horrid to me. Like XP and its childs toy feel. Vista just comes off as a big shiny blob.

On my Linux systems I just end up with a custom background and make the bars transparent, so it ends up matching my overall theme.

[snakeeyes]

If u like the windows classic look and as u say on Linux u just put a custom background then its obvious u don't like to see a good GUI, most of us like to see a beautiful GUI.

[shad0w_walker]

I put functionality over appearance and If you were paying attention its my desktop background and transparency on the toolbars. Not a crappy background on the bars, if you are going to call me tasteless do it right atleast.

As for appreciating a GUI I love the CLI above all GUI but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a decent GUI. I just don't like what YOU call good design. Vista didn't run long enough for me to 'appreciate' the GUI, I couldn't even enabled Aero because my laptop doesn't have the required insane power. As for my desktop Vista just bluntly refused to install or recognise the partition I formatted using ITS installer.

It's this issue called taste. Now I would appreciate it if you stop calling me tasteless in a round about way.

[Tobi-fp]

With a little creativity you can make Linux look like anything. With the Black/white icon theme, a compiz-fusion-Emerald dark setup would make your linux look very good, and then you ofcorse need to find the right background.

[snakeeyes]

With a little creativity you can make Linux look like anything. With the Black/white icon theme, a compiz-fusion-Emerald dark setup would make your linux look very good, and then you ofcorse need to find the right background.
Give me the links for the best gnome themes u can find, I would like to see them. Thanks!

[Midwest-Linux]

I have a APPLE I-Mac running LINUX Ubuntu 7.04 with the LiNsta theme that looks like WINDOWS VISTA. :lolflag:

[karellen]

Vista's UI is pleasant; you get used to it pretty fast, same as with all others UIs

[imT]

let's face it, vista theme is one of the best theme ever, the biggest microsoft improvement over xp is the vista theme, not the effects and certainly not the performance.
to bad the os is not as good as the theme suggested.
a milion $ theme on a piece of crap.
to answer to the topic... linux can look however you want, no limitations, on the other hand the linux vista like themes are not exactly what you would expect and they don't get along very nice if you know what i mean....anyhow they're plenty of grate, shiny themes for linux (gnome/kde)

[leafhound]

:) I have Vista and Linux machines, For me, The thing that makes Vista look slick is the transparency on the kicker, something i have not yet seen on Linux, other than that Linux has it beat on the effects and overall trancparency as windows has nothing to match Compiz or the overall customisation that Linux offers. I can safely say Linux users have nothinbg to worry about.

[cb951303]

I am not using Vista myself, and nor am I trying to start a flame war. My point is that Vista's UI is probably the best I have ever seen. My Linux desktop and even my Mac book which has Leopard on it look like garbage compared to Vista.

I am just wondering has anyone seen an interface better than Vista's?

I really don't believe it's the best out there. leopard seem much more appealing to my eyes.
that's just my opinion though

[SunnyRabbiera]

Ugh I hate how vista looks, I will take a mac anyday...

[snakeeyes]

I am trying to find a theme that looks as good as Vista does, anyone has any suggestion?

[Zero Prime]

Give me the links for the best gnome themes u can find, I would like to see them. Thanks!
http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Red+Glow?content=73018
http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Gloss+Black?content=71078

The above are 2 themes that I made that I like a lot. Not trying to plug myself, but I wanted something fancy and useful. Seems to me like your looking for the same thing.

You can get transparent panels and menus using Compiz-Fuzion. Of course you can get transparent panels using the panel editor, but this isn't the true transparency that I like.

[snakeeyes]

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Red+Glow?content=73018
http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Gloss+Black?content=71078

The above are 2 themes that I made that I like a lot. Not trying to plug myself, but I wanted something fancy and useful. Seems to me like your looking for the same thing.

You can get transparent panels and menus using Compiz-Fuzion. Of course you can get transparent panels using the panel editor, but this isn't the true transparency that I like.
Hi thanks for the links, I am going to check them out right now, here is one I found but its download link appears to be broken, anyone knows about it:

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/PlatinUm?content=33112

[Hairy_Palms]

pre-leopard i rated mac as the most attractive OS, leopard was at least 2 steps back theme-wise imo
the vista UI is crap imo, i like the black taskbar, and thats about it, the file manager windows are terribly clutterd and unintuitive the sickly green/blue it uses is also horrible.

[snakeeyes]

pre-leopard i rated mac as the most attractive OS, leopard was at least 2 steps back theme-wise imo
the vista UI is crap imo, i like the black taskbar, and thats about it, the file manager windows are terribly clutterd and unintuitive the sickly green/blue it uses is also horrible.
you can change color schemes in Vista u know?

[Nevon]

KDE and gnome interface developers seriously need to make the interface more attractve atleast KDE 4 looks decent, cause even though compiz fusion is awesome, but with an ugly interface, its useless.
That's your opinion, not some kind of ultimate truth. Personally I loath the KDE look - even if KDE4 is a major step up from 3.5. However, I recognize that it's a good DE, and that other people might like it. Where you seem to be a fan of shine and gloss, I'm a fan of simplicity and style. Even though I think the default look of a lot of "simple" window managers is crap, I think Awesome and its peers can be absolutely beautiful if you combine the right colors with the flow of the wallpaper.

[snakeeyes]

That's your opinion, not some kind of ultimate truth. Personally I loath the KDE look - even if KDE4 is a major step up from 3.5. However, I recognize that it's a good DE, and that other people might like it. Where you seem to be a fan of shine and gloss, I'm a fan of simplicity and style. Even though I think the default look of a lot of "simple" window managers is crap, I think Awesome and its peers can be absolutely beautiful if you combine the right colors with the flow of the wallpaper.
Oh u think thats just my opinion huh? Lets start research on how many people prefer the default look of KDE, gnome, Vista and aero and see who wins?

[leafhound]

:) The truth is Window's beauty is only skin deep

like a Porche bonnet on a Skoda

KDE4 and Gnome beautiful throughout

[shad0w_walker]

Snakeeyes: I'm just gonna say it. Quit being so damn stuck up about this. Beauty is a personal thing and varies from person to person. It is not about numbers or votes or any other crap metric.

Every single person has a different definition of a good GUI and if you don't understand that then you are in no position to complain about gnome/KDE as you have a completely closed minded view on things and just want to push your own agenda.

Get over yourself and accept not everyone likes the Vista GUI. It's a thing of taste and whining that more people like something doesn't make it better.

[snakeeyes]

I am fine with not everyone liking the vista gui, anyway does someone here know how to edit gnome themes cause I need one edited.

[LaRoza]

I am trying to find a theme that looks as good as Vista does, anyone has any suggestion?

Yes, search the available themes. No one can give you recommendations for your own personal taste.

My screenshot of my Vista http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs222&d=07515&f=vistaDesktop.png That is what I like.

(Don't mind the ads at the top of the page. I have no icons and a black desktop, and the panel is on the top)


http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Vista+Glow?content=46860

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Transparent+Glass?content=44239

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Clean+Black?content=46474

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/soviet+theme?content=63508 (Not Vista, but cool)

You can search for more, or browse the available ones.

[LaRoza]

I am fine with not everyone liking the vista gui, anyway does someone here know how to edit gnome themes cause I need one edited.

System->Preferences->Appearance Click on the "Customize" button.

[snakeeyes]

System->Preferences->Appearance Click on the "Customize" button.
thanks for tyhe quick reply, but thisd gtk theme needs to be modified so that it doesn't change or mess up my panels, I will upload it here if someone can help.

[Zero Prime]

I might be able to help. Upload to a reply and post a screenshot showing what you don't like about the panels.

[snakeeyes]

Here u go, and thanks for the help.

The problem area u can see is the way the windows that aren't even in use and stuff r highlighted and stuff.

[Zero Prime]

I'm going to make a suggestion. Try using a different theme. I see your trying hard for the Vista look but this one is just poorly done IMO. I could change a few things, but all I would be doing is making this theme into one like mine or one like the Linsta theme.

[Nevon]

Oh u think thats just my opinion huh? Lets start research on how many people prefer the default look of KDE, gnome, Vista and aero and see who wins?
Oh you simple minded fool. By saying that's your opinion, do you honestly think I meant just your opinion? What I was trying to communicate to you was that not everyone thinks the same as you - even if I'm sure some do.
And I didn't know we were talking about the defaults here. As far as I know, customizing Windows is restricted unless you use dirty hacks (Windowsblinds and those kind of programs). In all Linux DEs you can do pretty much whatever the hell you want. That's a powerful thing.
If you simply don't like the default look of a certain distro, that's a whole other thing than saying that GNOME, KDE, XFCE and all the other DEs out there look like crap compared to Vista.

[Lord Illidan]

Let's keep things civil here, please. Everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion.

[snakeeyes]

I'm going to make a suggestion. Try using a different theme. I see your trying hard for the Vista look but this one is just poorly done IMO. I could change a few things, but all I would be doing is making this theme into one like mine or one like the Linsta theme.
Isn't it possible to just remove that ugly panel somehow?

[Zero Prime]

Sure it is. Right click on the panel and click on delete this panel. But then you lose your tabs at the bottom and have to add them to the top panel. Of course then you have the same problem you already had.

[snakeeyes]

Sure it is. Right click on the panel and click on delete this panel. But then you lose your tabs at the bottom and have to add them to the top panel. Of course then you have the same problem you already had.
There was a file in the theme called panel.rc, if u remove that the black panel won't apply, but then if u apply a panel of your choice the same problem happens.

[smartboyathome]

You have to edit the theme to change the colors of that. Check out my sig for the official docs on GTK themes. :)

[Zero Prime]

There was a file in the theme called panel.rc, if u remove that the black panel won't apply, but then if u apply a panel of your choice the same problem happens.

If you remove the black panel img file then it won't just go away. You will get the default Human panel.

You are kinda making this a little more difficult on yourself than it has to be. If you don't like one part of the theme just use another one. That theme you showed is nearly the same as the Linsta theme.
http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/LiNsta+3+(Linux+is+Not+Vista)?content=44570

If you like fancier menus you can try MidnightBlackPlastic, OrangeLinstaDarkPlastic, or mine GlossBlack. All of these are Vista like. If you want your windows to look more Vista like there are plenty of Vista styled Metecity and Emerald themes on Gnome-Look .org as well.

[snakeeyes]

Yeah u r right, thanks for the help though.

[Zero Prime]

I'm glad I could help:)

[snakeeyes]

I'm glad I could help:)
Thanks again, anyway I will show u the new look later.

[leafhound]

i wrote earlier that i'd not seen kicker menu with transparency on linux but it's been done

http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Gimmie+vs+Vista+menu?content=73108
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Sidebar+Screenlet+%28Vista%27ish+look%29?content=6 3172

[snakeeyes]

Well here is the most I could improve my desktops looks:

[Zero Prime]

i wrote earlier that i'd not seen kicker menu with transparency on linux but it's been done

http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Gimmie+vs+Vista+menu?content=73108
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Sidebar+Screenlet+%28Vista%27ish+look%29?content=6 3172

You have to use Compiz-Fuzion to get the transparent panels like that. Check out one of my screenshots here.

[snakeeyes]

I am using compiz fusion with gtk window decorator, I don't want the transparent panels, I just wanted it to look better. Hey doesn anyone know of a good icon theme cause this one feels too black.

[darolu]

Vista is certainly the most "beautiful" to the eye Windows version, but is not that nice to me (as already said, is a matter of taste), but what really made me 'hate' (more like dislike) Vista is its functionality yeah looks nicer but works very bad, in easy-to-use way; is harder to use than previous Windows versions (I'm forced to use Windows sometimes and uninstalled Vista of my new laptop to install XP back), in my opinion is the main problem of Vista and all Windows versions, their features don't make the work easier and Vista just made it harder... but yeah It looks nice, MacOSX and GNU/Linux with Compiz installed look better (in my perspective of beauty) and do make your work easier and efficient which is the more important aspect to me.

[snakeeyes]

Vista is certainly the most "beautiful" to the eye Windows version, but is not that nice to me (as already said, is a matter of taste), but what really made me 'hate' (more like dislike) Vista is its functionality yeah looks nicer but works very bad, in easy-to-use way; is harder to use than previous Windows versions (I'm forced to use Windows sometimes and uninstalled Vista of my new laptop to install XP back), in my opinion is the main problem of Vista and all Windows versions, their features don't make the work easier and Vista just made it harder... but yeah It looks nice, MacOSX and GNU/Linux with Compiz installed look better (in my perspective of beauty) and do make your work easier and efficient which is the more important aspect to me.
Compiz does make Linux look cooler but modifying the interface is still the users job. I never thought the aqua interface looked good, remember the one with the stripes on it and now we have the dull grey Leopard.

[LaRoza]

Compiz does make Linux look cooler but modifying the interface is still the users job. I never thought the aqua interface looked good, remember the one with the stripes on it and now we have the dull grey Leopard.

Try a different distro with a different default look. Some of them are quite impressive (links are in my post on this topic)

Vixta for one you might like.

[snakeeyes]

Try a different distro with a different default look. Some of them are quite impressive (links are in my post on this topic)

Vixta for one you might like.
No its ok, thanks a lot for your help though, I have modified Ubuntu quite a lot and it looks pretty decent and plus I also have opensuse 10.3 installed and that looks great as well.

Now I am just discussing Vista's looks in general. Any idea what Hardy may look like? I saw some really good mock ups.

[LaRoza]

Now I am just discussing Vista's looks in general. Any idea what Hardy may look like? I saw some really good mock ups.

Personally, I don't care for the Ubuntu look. Hardy seems to be...brown as usual.

It may be different, I don't know.

[wieman01]

Vixta is in fact the most beautiful Linux distribution I know of, it beats every other distribution in my opinion. Again you can argue about taste, but it looks neat, integrated and well designed. Apparently they also make use of Composite features.

If I had a choice I had not made up my mind in favor of (K)Ubuntu, I'd go for it. The start menu is simply amazing, not to speak of the Windows borders.