Need a lot of help

[arpanaut]

It is possible to install the "Mate" DE on Ubuntu, I don't know the details, but the information is out there.

[mastablasta]

It is possible to install the "Mate" DE on Ubuntu, I don't know the details, but the information is out there.

exactly. you can install any desktop you would like.

KDE looks kind of like widnows. uses qt libraries. for more see Kubuntu
razor qt is like light KDe (still under development)
XFCE looks and feels like old Gnome2 you talk about (see Xubuntu)
Mate is old gnome 2 as gnome 2 is not supported anymore in Ubuntu.
LXDE looks like win98 still under development. but already in a very good shape (see Lubuntu).

then there are others such as E17 (can be complicated to setup from scratch but then there is Ubuntu based Bodhi Linux that does plenty of seting up for you)
Openbox
IceWM (windows manager that looks kind of like win95 but is light and fast)

and some others.

point is there is plenty of choices mostly abailable in software center.

i use Xubuntu in virtual box becuase it is not as heavy, it is easilly modifiable (most is done by right click and then changing propperties) so i can easilly make it take even less reosurces by simple selecting less demanding theme and such easy steps.

further more to all this choice, you can get Gnome classic panel in Ubuntu 12.04 which looks more or less like old gnome2 (needs to be installed) and there is also unity 2D (in 12.04). both should speed things up a bit in a virtual maschine.

[whs37]

Thanks Vaphell and Mastablasta for the suggestions. I will try those out.

Yes I run Ubuntu under VMware like Mint and Zorin. The other distros are a lot faster. I think I will probably stay with Zorin. That is the nicest distro for me. Mint would be nice too, but I cannot get the VMware tools to work. They install properly and are as expected in the startups, but they just do not work - go figure. The tools do work in Ubuntu and Zorin though.

Since it was suggested already several times, I guess I have to have a look at Xubuntu.

[mastablasta]

If Zorin work very good and you like it, then by all means use Zorin.

why "torture" yourself?

[Paqman]

Ubuntu with Unity DE is likely to be dog slow when virtualized.

The default 3D version probably would be. If you're running the LTS I'd suggest running it in 2D in a VM.

Log out, click the icon next to your user name and select "Unity 2D" then log back in. Much snappier than the 3D version on machines without mad graphics.