Is it unethical to make Linux look like Windows?

[icett]

Linux means freedom! Isn't it? But uptill now I have found out on many Linux forums that many of my fellow Linux users do not like my thought of making Linux look like Windows and the usual response is that if you are so fond of using a Linux OS very similar to Windows why not go and use Windows. I would like to clarify that although I know that Windows is crap I like the Windows look and feel, eye candy look I mean, ease of use, knowing very well that it is unstable and insecure. I wish to make Linux look like Windows XP in its appearance and functions like theme, icons and other stuff as much as possible as it would be a good experiment for me and would improve my skills as well as it would give me some sense of accomplishment. There would be something I would feel proud to show to my family and friends. Does that mean that I dont like Linux and am pro Windows? I have found Linux very stable and secure and whats wrong with me if I wish to make it Windows like in look and feel, ease of use, as much as possible? I love Linux based on UNIX and not Windows based on NT so please do not tell me to use Windows. As Linux gives everyone the freedom as well as the capability to make their desktops look as they want, many Linux users give their Linux desktops the feel and look as they wish. So if I want to make it like Windows I don't think that there is something wrong with that and I wish and hope that the community would support and guide me. So I would request the Linux community to provide me guidance in this matter. Thanks in advnace and I hope you will help me.:)

[johndc]

Linux means freedom! Isn't it? But uptill now I have found out on many Linux forums that many of my fellow Linux users do not like my thought of making Linux look like Windows and the usual response is that if you are so fond of using a Linux OS very similar to Windows why not go and use Windows. I would like to clarify that although I know that Windows is crap I like the Windows look and feel, eye candy look I mean, ease of use, knowing very well that it is unstable and insecure. I wish to make Linux look like Windows XP in its appearance and functions like theme, icons and other stuff as much as possible as it would be a good experiment for me and would improve my skills as well as it would give me some sense of accomplishment. There would be something I would feel proud to show to my family and friends. Does that mean that I dont like Linux and am pro Windows? I have found Linux very stable and secure and whats wrong with me if I wish to make it Windows like in look and feel, ease of use, as much as possible? I love Linux based on UNIX and not Windows based on NT so please do not tell me to use Windows. As Linux gives everyone the freedom as well as the capability to make their desktops look as they want, many Linux users give their Linux desktops the feel and look as they wish. So if I want to make it like Windows I don't think that there is something wrong with that and I wish and hope that the community would support and guide me. So I would request the Linux community to provide me guidance in this matter. Thanks in advnace and I hope you will help me.:)

Linux does indeed give you the freedom to do whatever the heck you want. So do it, and ignore what other people say. It's YOUR computer, not theirs. If you want to make your environment look like windows then go right ahead.

But if you're looking for someone else to collaborate with, or to do it for you, you could be waiting a loooooong time.

[hhhhhx]

with linux you can do whatever you want. Thats the whole idea of FOSS. you can feel free to make and mold it however you want. :)

[SunnyRabbiera]

Its all about choice, its your computer after all

[LaRoza]

You can make Windows look like Linux, you can even use BlackBox on Windows.

Some like to have their OS look familiar, some like to customize it to the extreme, and some just leave it simple. It is just a choice, it doesn't change the functionality.

[Breetai]

Gotta agree that it's your 'puter you do what'cha want I've always had the feeling that that is one part of what it's all about.. Then there is the other side of the same coin that is Linux. It's NOT Windows and a lot of guys/gals like to make a point of that. for various reasons.

[k2t0f12d]

No. What on earth would lead you to think otherwise?

[init1]

If you like XP themes, use them :D
I see nothing wrong with that

[jcwmoore]

I see this a lot on the ubuntu facebook group. It really irritates me when some one puts a desktop screen shot, one that looks like OS X or Windows, and people start commenting about how bad it is that any one would dare make linux look like Mac/Windows. It is your machine, do what you want to with it :)

[xpod]

People whinge,about aboslutely anything......iif they did`nt then i`d be worried something was wrong:)

[aimran]

I see this a lot on the ubuntu facebook group. It really irritates me when some one puts a desktop screen shot, one that looks like OS X or Windows, and people start commenting about how bad it is that any one would dare make linux look like Mac/Windows. It is your machine, do what you want to with it :)

While I support you doing whatever you want to with your comp, I don't see the point of posting your screenshot of a win/mac clone :)

[mikewhatever]

You are not the first, and not the last, I suppose. Take a look --> http://www.linux-xp.com/
You might also be interested in this thread http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=694249

[RichTJ99]

Thats pretty interesting. Is there a "Windows XP Theme" that you could use in Ubuntu?

[sagarhshah]

linux is all about choice...so to each his own
do what you want with your copy of linux
you can make it look like windows 3.1 if you wish

[p_quarles]

Window manager themes are not ethical issues. ;)

[SomeGuyDude]

Contrary to what people may say, neither Windows nor OSX have concocted terrible UI's. Some like them a whole lot (I thought Vista looked nice, for example), that's why there are so many of them on the various -*look.org sites.

Unethical? Of course not. If anything, it's a greater expression of your desire for freedom by saying "I'm going to take the look and feel of your OS and use it on one that I like a whole hell of a lot better!"

[TeeAhr1]

Is it unethical to make Linux look like Windows?
No. It's just stupid.
I like the Windows look and feel, eye candy look I mean, ease of use,
I really think you should spend a Sunday afternoon on gnome-look.org or kde-look.org, or check out the monthly desktop thread that's always running in the backyard forum. Whenever I'm forced to sit down at a Windows machine (which doesn't happen to me much these days since I quit working for the Man), I am immediately disgusted by its utter dearth of UI options. I mean, picking between blue and silver is not my idea of "configurable."
So if I want to make it like Windows I don't think that there is something wrong with that
Nothing wrong with that if it's what you want to do. But if I were you, I wouldn't limit myself so much.

best wishes-
pete

[FuturePilot]

Absolutely not. One of the things about Linux is the freedom to do what you want with it, install what you want whether it's OSS or proprietary. And that includes making it look however you want. One of the things I like about Linux, the freedom.

[SomeGuyDude]

It's always possible he actually does enjoy the look of Windows. I mean, a lot of people leave their Ubuntu installs nearly default and OSX has legions of people that love its appearance. Why couldn't someone think Windows just looks good to them?

That said, I do think I agree. I thought Vista looked great until I spent a while digging on gnome-look and now I'm all about the dark, dark themes.

[Raven_Oscar]

As it was said many times before there is nothing bad in using theme which look like XP one because of one reason - this PC is yours and you could do with it whatever you like

[Quillz]

You can make Linux look like whatever you want, ethics should have nothing to do with it. Some like the looks of Windows, some like the look of Mac OS X, others may want something completely different.

[Quillz]

No. It's just stupid.

I really think you should spend a Sunday afternoon on gnome-look.org or kde-look.org, or check out the monthly desktop thread that's always running in the backyard forum. Whenever I'm forced to sit down at a Windows machine (which doesn't happen to me much these days since I quit working for the Man), I am immediately disgusted by its utter dearth of UI options. I mean, picking between blue and silver is not my idea of "configurable."

Nothing wrong with that if it's what you want to do. But if I were you, I wouldn't limit myself so much.

best wishes-
pete
Assuming you can install some third party programs, Windows is actually very flexible. Look into the Litestep and Cairo projects, they are building completely new shells for Windows.

[karellen]

Linux means freedom! Isn't it? But uptill now I have found out on many Linux forums that many of my fellow Linux users do not like my thought of making Linux look like Windows and the usual response is that if you are so fond of using a Linux OS very similar to Windows why not go and use Windows. I would like to clarify that although I know that Windows is crap I like the Windows look and feel, eye candy look I mean, ease of use, knowing very well that it is unstable and insecure. I wish to make Linux look like Windows XP in its appearance and functions like theme, icons and other stuff as much as possible as it would be a good experiment for me and would improve my skills as well as it would give me some sense of accomplishment. There would be something I would feel proud to show to my family and friends. Does that mean that I dont like Linux and am pro Windows? I have found Linux very stable and secure and whats wrong with me if I wish to make it Windows like in look and feel, ease of use, as much as possible? I love Linux based on UNIX and not Windows based on NT so please do not tell me to use Windows. As Linux gives everyone the freedom as well as the capability to make their desktops look as they want, many Linux users give their Linux desktops the feel and look as they wish. So if I want to make it like Windows I don't think that there is something wrong with that and I wish and hope that the community would support and guide me. So I would request the Linux community to provide me guidance in this matter. Thanks in advnace and I hope you will help me.:)

what does ethics have to do with an OS theme? customize the way you want, it's your pc, make it look like mac os or xp or vista. choices are everywhere ;)

[hyper_ch]

Do whatever makes you happy.

Being happy is good ;)

[GrishinUS]

Can you upload a screen shot of your desktop, please?

[gn2]

It's unethical to post long rambling sentences in a big unbroken block of text with no spacings to make it easier to read.

It's my pet hate.

[bomanizer]

Is it unethical to make Linux look like Windows?

Mwhat..? o_O

What a strange question. I once had the Win2k theme on my box, it was basically just silly at most..

[forrestcupp]

the usual response is that if you are so fond of using a Linux OS very similar to Windows why not go and use Windows.

If the only important difference between Windows and Linux is the way they look, then we're all wasting our time. Use whatever theme you like and enjoy the many other benefits of Linux.

[Tristam Green]

It's not unethical at all; anyone who tries to make you feel that way is full of himself and full of something else:popcorn:

While Microsoft can't make a secure OS to save their souls (Win2000 being the exception as it's fairly solid), they and Apple can definitely design a sexy interface. Their design teams are paid well to make good, and truthfully, I have found the Windows GUI to be far more intuitive than that of a Mac (personal preference only).

As stated before, it's your computer, not theirs. When they build it for you, then they can decide what interface styling you can have on it.

[samwyse]

Maybe if the theme contains warez icons or something.

[RRosset]

It's not about ethic... it's about your computer and what you wanna do with with it.

Imagine a man dress in women clothes, it's the same man, but with a different skin... new clothes doesnt change what the man is, but looks funny or weird. Same applies here, your computer may looks weird or funny, or just different, but it is your computer and you do with it whatevr you want.
You should learn to care about important things and not in a bloody theme dude!!!

Btw, it's weird. :roll:

[TeeAhr1]

Assuming you can install some third party programs, Windows is actually very flexible. Look into the Litestep and Cairo projects, they are building completely new shells for Windows.

That's kind of my point. You shouldn't have to install an external program and keep it running in resident memory all day just to change the look of your desktop. Sure, you can, but I can do all that on KDE for under 300Mb of memory.

[K.Mandla]

Linux means freedom! Isn't it? But uptill now I have found out on many Linux forums that many of my fellow Linux users do not like my thought of making Linux look like Windows and the usual response is that if you are so fond of using a Linux OS very similar to Windows why not go and use Windows. I would like to clarify that although I know that Windows is crap I like the Windows look and feel, eye candy look I mean, ease of use, knowing very well that it is unstable and insecure. I wish to make Linux look like Windows XP in its appearance and functions like theme, icons and other stuff as much as possible as it would be a good experiment for me and would improve my skills as well as it would give me some sense of accomplishment. There would be something I would feel proud to show to my family and friends. Does that mean that I dont like Linux and am pro Windows? I have found Linux very stable and secure and whats wrong with me if I wish to make it Windows like in look and feel, ease of use, as much as possible? I love Linux based on UNIX and not Windows based on NT so please do not tell me to use Windows. As Linux gives everyone the freedom as well as the capability to make their desktops look as they want, many Linux users give their Linux desktops the feel and look as they wish. So if I want to make it like Windows I don't think that there is something wrong with that and I wish and hope that the community would support and guide me. So I would request the Linux community to provide me guidance in this matter. Thanks in advnace and I hope you will help me.:)
Do what you like with it. That's what it's all about. Are you going to change your life because some stranger tells you to? Be your own person and use your computer how you want.