Making Ubuntu Look Like Windows

[1roxtar]

I have been using Linux and more specifically Ubuntu for the better part of this year and I love it entirely. I love it so much that as an OS on my computers, I "WANT" it to look "Linux". I read so many threads and articles about making it look like Windows or Mac to help their users get comfortable with Linux. In my opinion, that just keeps them in their comfort zones instead of teaching them to learn something truly new and wonderful.

[mamamia88]

totally man if i wanted to use windows i would use windows

[ve4cib]

A desktop theme does not a system make. </yoda-speak>

Seriously I've never seen anything really wrong with tweaking your desktop theme to look like OSX or Windows, or whatever. It's just a theme. Under the hood everything is completely different, so you're forced to learn things anyway. The aesthetics are about the least important aspect of the whole endeavour.

[AndThenWhat]

Heard about some guy that used a windows xp theme to trick his wife because he couldn't afford the windows license and all she did was read e-mails and surf the web anyways.

[TheNessus]

Heard about some guy that used a windows xp theme to trick his wife because he couldn't afford the windows license and all she did was read e-mails and surf the web anyways.
Stupid husband and stupid wife. Stupid him for having to fool her, and because he married a woman who is stupid because she's getting upset over what OS she uses when all she does is emailing.

[1roxtar]

I love tweaking my Linux/Ubuntu to high heaven....tailoring it to MY needs and personality. I even tried to make it "Windows-sy" in the beginning, until it just hit me that it reminded me of what a friend of mine did once. He was a normal, average Joe and wanted to look cooler, so he decided to go with the "thug" look and failed miserably because everyone saw that "even if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig." Through it all, our circle of friends helped him tailor a look that best suited his personality and was still a new and stepped up look for him. In my opinion, Linux needs to be allowed to stand on it's strengths, so people can truly appreciate it's goodness.

[AndThenWhat]

IMHO making Ubuntu look like Windows or OSX is like taking the body off of a Ferrari and putting on a Corolla or Mercedes chassi respectively.

[TheNessus]

IMHO making Ubuntu look like Windows or OSX is like taking the chassi off of a Ferrari and putting on a Corolla or Mercedes chassi respectively.
I think you're wrong.

Default theme Ubuntu is ugly. Plain, utterly ugly. You can theme it to look amazing, and you can also theme it to look like OS-X or Windows. OS-x is nice, win 7 is nice, but other themes are nicer.

[Gizenshya]

IMHO making Ubuntu look like Windows or OSX is like taking the chassi off of a Ferrari and putting on a Corolla or Mercedes chassi respectively.

A. It's chassis.

B. You don't mean chassis. You're talking about the interior styling. The chassis is like the engine, transmission, body, or suspension... it is an integral part of what makes the vehicle the vehicle (in this case, the performance- from power, to handling, to aerodynamics). The interior styling, so long as it has a way to adjust the controls, can look however you like and still not make a difference in performance/function.

C. IMO, it would be more like saying: I own a Ferrari (http://www.casanovacars.com/2007/02/06/Ferrari-Aurea-Berlinetta-DGF-Interior-1024x768.jpg), but I want to change the interior styling so that whenever I get in I feel like I've sat down in a Datsun (http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2007/10/79_Datsun_Interior.jpg).

[Inodoro Pereyra]

I agree with 1Roxstar. I have used Ubuntu for less than a week, so I'm as newbie as they come, but I absolutely LOVE the default look. I like its simplicity, how clean it is, and how the most common stuff is available without creating clutter in the desktop.
I understand looks are not vital, and I think it'd be great if people had the OPTION of changing the desktop looks to resemble that of their preferred OS, if they like, but I want the default desktop to stay just as it is, for those of us who'd rather not see another windows desktop ever again.

[murderslastcrow]

I agree- although it's nice to have the ability to customize, and I suppose globalmenu gives you extra space in the windows, I just love Gnome's default setup. Not to worry, though- the more preinstalled Ubuntu computers we get, the more easily people will switch to the 'new' interface.

[adeypoop]

I only found out last week, my wife had installed Ubuntu a couple of years ago and made it look like XP, I was well pissed when I found out I was really using a linux distro.

[karthikkln]

that's relly great.!

[jayze]

...Well I think we all have to simply accept that theres a lot of unenlightened people in the world....and more....that there are lots who simply CAN'T be enlightened...its Christmas!...lets just all pity them and try to help those who can be and want to be.:popcorn:

[Kai69]

Iv'e only been using Ubuntu for a few months and i love it, Its different even default looks nice my stepson told me to try W7 I did sorry im male its gone all disney and girly and it still crashes ( dont install updates never crashes found that out in vista ) As far as im concerned Ubuntu works it looks different because it is different. Ive also managed to get 3 other people to try Ubuntu after i gave them a disk they all duel boot but at least they have had a go.:guitar:

[scouser73]

There's no point in making Ubuntu look like another distribution, especially Windows.

[Genius314]

What if you like the way Windows looks, but like using Ubuntu better? You have to settle with Linux-only themes, just because it "doesn't make sense" to make it look like Windows? No, that's just stupid.

[bikodog]

I agree- although it's nice to have the ability to customize, and I suppose globalmenu gives you extra space in the windows, I just love Gnome's default setup. Not to worry, though- the more preinstalled Ubuntu computers we get, the more easily people will switch to the 'new' interface.

I agree with the I agree - ubuntu's treatment of gnome is the best of all the other distro's I have tried. I have only had to insert a few minor tweaks.

To all those who want *nix to look like window$; it doesn't matter at all what desktop you choose....the power of *nix lies in the command line. The default terminal in *buntu is a drag: I have chosen to go with the classic green-on-black style which I find to be the easiest on the eyes.

[ticopelp]

I disagree with the OP. I don't think a different GUI is all that central to learning a different operating system. We want people to be comfortable with Linux... if that means emulating the UI of another OS while maintaining the freedom and security of Linux, I don't see anything wrong with that.

People who refuse to learn anything will refuse no matter what the OS looks like anyway.

[ve4cib]

I disagree with the OP. I don't think a different GUI is all that central to learning a different operating system. We want people to be comfortable with Linux... if that means emulating the UI of another OS while maintaining the freedom and security of Linux, I don't see anything wrong with that.

People who refuse to learn anything will refuse no matter what the OS looks like anyway.

Well said.

[mamamia88]

i am kind of warming up too the idea. i dualboot with windows 7 and love the way it looks but ubuntu is just so much more snappy on my older laptop

[lostinxlation]

It's OK to give a windows look to Ubuntu or whatever Linux distro. More choices is better. The look has NOTHING to do with Operating System and it IS the beauty of Unix clone.

When I installed Linux for the first time 10 years ago, WM I used was Window Maker, not becauase I was a Jobs fan, but because it had a simple look. Window Maker was very much like NeXT, but it was the most popular WM in those days.

[Khakilang]

I think Linux has its own identity and Window has its own too. I prefer Ubuntu the way it is. Than only I can learn how it work and perform.

[judge jankum]

I like Ubuntu just like it is, it's not windows. It only took an hour or so to get use to the difference...Now I like it much better...

[sram.shadow]

Personally I love the Ubuntu looks because it's clean and simple!

The default theme and panel placement is great imo. In Windows you had everything on the bottom taskbar, and all of your window tabs have to be cluttered with other things like tray/quick launch icons, the time, the start button etc it became annoying. On Ubuntu I love having your "quick launch" icons and Applications/Places/Settings/Clock on the top bar and nothing but Workspace switcher and window tabs on the bottom

I mean; not that window clutter is even a problem with multiple workspaces :)


But I suppose you can make Ubuntu more "Windozy" if you move the default top panel to the bottom and add window list item.

Or maybe you can look into another distro called "Linux XP" which is basically Fedora made to look exactly like Windows XP or Vista :)