Looking for recommendations

[pizza-is-good]

Hello fellas.

I've been using Ubuntu for a while now, but I'm planning to dive into it a lot more when Karmic comes out.

I don't mind the human theme, but I am looking for something a little different. I would like something that is productive, but with nice visual effects, but nothing very heavy.

I'm just wondering what most people use, and based on experience what is most recommended.

Thanks in advance.

~pizza

[QIII]

Head over to gnome-look.org

Play around a little. Don't let someone else tell you what your experience should be...

[Gotaro]

I'd also like to hear what people have to say.. Are the majority of you who like a modern-looking OS (like newer versions of Windows) using Compiz/Emerald? Or can metacity do the trick? Are you skinning your panel, or replacing it?

[QIII]

I have mine spanked out to put the "other" OS to shame. Compiz has some really great effects.

There are scads of themes out there. Still at work, so I can't tell you the name of the theme I use, but it's glossy, black, semi-transparent and wicked.

Eye candy is really not all that important. Any monopolistic purveyor of operating systems can dress up their OS with new eye candy and tell everyone it's "modern".

I just like to fiddle around.

Not trying to be contrary. It's what's underneath the hood that counts. I'd pick a Porsche with a crappy paint job over a Yugo with glossy metal flake any day.

[Gotaro]

I have mine spanked out to put the "other" OS to shame. Compiz has some really great effects.

There are scads of themes out there. Still at work, so I can't tell you the name of the theme I use, but it's glossy, black, semi-transparent and wicked.

Eye candy is really not all that important. Any monopolistic purveyor of operating systems can dress up their OS with new eye candy and tell everyone it's "modern".

I just like to fiddle around.

Not trying to be contrary. It's what's underneath the hood that counts. I'd pick a Porsche with a crappy paint job over a Yugo with glossy metal flake any day.
Except a better analogy would be the body of your favorite new car with a nice engine or the body of 10-year-old used car with paint peeling and a slightly better engine.

Can we get screenshots, please?

Also, I don't really understand why you take a conservative position and give the impression GNOME doesn't need a facelift. What does that accomplish? There's too much misguided prejudice in this community, like the people who enjoy modern OS aesthetics are the same as people who enjoy Windows over Linux.

[andrea000]

I like ubuntu just the way it is definitely needs
some wallpaper but the theme looks good to me
i went to gnome-look.org (http://www.gnome-look.org/) and found a few they
have themes too so if you see one you like get
it

[oldsoundguy]

Personally, I feel that most eye candy is a total waste of processor and memory. But I use my computers for work and for computing and for entertainment.
I seldom even SEE my desktop itself as I have open programs occupying the screen.

[QIII]

Also, I don't really understand why you take a conservative position and give the impression GNOME doesn't need a facelift. What does that accomplish? There's too much misguided prejudice in this community, like the people who enjoy modern OS aesthetics are the same as people who enjoy Windows over Linux.

All I am saying is that the pretty gizmos on your screen are not what makes a modern OS. Eye candy and eye wash.

Misguided prejudice? How so? I told you I have a lot of eye candy on mine. Not because it is worth anything, just because I like to fiddle.

There are plenty of screenshots at gnome-look.org.

Those who are impressed by eye candy enough that they choose Windows over Linux with the misguided conception that "flashy" means "modern and powerful" are welcome to Windows. I don't fault them. It's their choice. But Aero is a poor indicator of the modernity and capability of the OS underneath.

I don't like Microsoft. But I'm not a Linux apologist.

[Gotaro]

All I am saying is that the pretty gizmos on your screen are not what makes a modern OS. Eye candy and eye wash.

Misguided prejudice? How so? I told you I have a lot of eye candy on mine. Not because it is worth anything, just because I like to fiddle.

There are plenty of screenshots at gnome-look.org.

Those who are impressed by eye candy enough that they choose Windows over Linux with the misguided conception that "flashy" means "modern and powerful" are welcome to Windows. I don't fault them. It's their choice. But Aero is a poor indicator of the modernity and capability of the OS underneath.

I don't like Microsoft. But I'm not a Linux apologist.
I explained how it was misguided.

There's too much misguided prejudice in this community, like the people who enjoy modern OS aesthetics are the same as people who enjoy Windows over Linux.
I would say that the effects you get with Compiz are "flashy," whereas Windows 7 just has a very clean, simple, beautiful look. There's nothing "flashy," no cool effects, no "gizmos," just a modern look. In fact, the people who have the flashy effects from Compiz, like windows burning up or zooming out or vacuuming or sparkling and all that is just waaay tacky and over-the-top and eats up CPU/memory.

I think Aero is a fair indicator of what lies beneath. I think any native Linux shell is, in contrast, a disgustingly poor indicator, in its present state.

[QIII]

A "clean, simple, beautiful look" is in the eyes of the beholder. Some people consider the minimalism of some Linux distros to be a "clean, simple, beautiful look". You can get a "clean, simple, beautiful" look of another kind for Linux to suit your liking from any number of places. You are not stuck with comes out of the box. You get what you need, and you make choices from there.

If what you consider to be a "clean, simple, beautiful look" in Aero is what wows someone, then that is their choice. Aero is a group of visual effects rendered on the screen only. It speaks only to how the OS is rendering its GUI. You can find several versions of Aero for GNOME. Doesn't make Ubuntu a better OS.

Again. What you see on the screen is not an indicator of what lies underneath. It's not a Miss America pageant.

If people skip over Linux because of something like that, it's their choice. They have that right.

But again, back to the OP's question: For suggestions, I recommend gnome-look.org.

[por100pre1]

You can try Art Manager, it browses and installs themes and wallpapers from art.gnome.org:


sudo apt-get install gnome-art

[Shujah]

I'm just wondering what most people use, and based on experience what is most recommended.

The Theme I'll recommend is Nimbus (+ its icon theme). For something more flashy checkout this site http://www.bisigi-project.org/?Itemid=23&lang=en
The man has made some awesome themes for Gnome.

If you go for Nimbus Google for Think Linux wallpaper it matches it perfectly.

[QIII]

Nice!

[pizza-is-good]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll give most a try. Keep them coming.

I do like compiz and as many desktop effects as possible. Since I don't use Ubuntu for anything that has to do with productivity, I don't mind getting distracted.

[Gotaro]

A "clean, simple, beautiful look" is in the eyes of the beholder. Some people consider the minimalism of some Linux distros to be a "clean, simple, beautiful look". You can get a "clean, simple, beautiful" look of another kind for Linux to suit your liking from any number of places. You are not stuck with comes out of the box. You get what you need, and you make choices from there.

If what you consider to be a "clean, simple, beautiful look" in Aero is what wows someone, then that is their choice. Aero is a group of visual effects rendered on the screen only. It speaks only to how the OS is rendering its GUI. You can find several versions of Aero for GNOME. Doesn't make Ubuntu a better OS.

Again. What you see on the screen is not an indicator of what lies underneath. It's not a Miss America pageant.

If people skip over Linux because of something like that, it's their choice. They have that right.

But again, back to the OP's question: For suggestions, I recommend gnome-look.org.
You aren't stuck with what comes out of the box, true, but it NEEDS to have the option to look modern out of the box in order to cater to the modern world. It's very difficult (read: near impossible) to achieve something similar to Windows 7 without spending a LOT of time and work, and being relatively intensive (not to mention, unstable and inconsistent), slowing the performance of the entire OS down. A fresh install of Win7 rivals the speed of a fresh Linux install and surpasses any attempt I've ever made to reproduce its shell on Linux, all because it isn't natively supported.

I have stated my argument several times, that Linux (GNOME in specific) needs to update its graphics to natively support a modern look. Your continued rebuttal can only mean you disagree. You are in support of no change, in support of less choice, and thus in support of limiting the audience Linux appeals to. Your words and your spirit contradict each other.

In line with this thread, I'm asking you to please post screenshots and give advice on how to achieve this look that transcends Windows 7 Aero. Aesthetics truly are the only reason I had to give up the Linux OS that I love so much. Also, gnome-look.org is notorious for impartial instructions for attaining the looks in its beautiful screenshots.