Extremely high quality, exceptionally polished themes?

[iindigo]

So I've messed around with Linux on countless occasions through the last decade or so. Something that's always bothered me, though, is how most UI art in use by the various distributions (and even that which can be downloaded) lacked a certain level of finesse and quality.

I'm mainly a Mac user. Theming is more or less dead on the platform now, but back in the days of Tiger and before, theming was very popular and many very talented artists produced themes. These themes were so good that they managed to get ported to Windows with MSStyles and Windowblinds, Linux with GTK+ (mainly), and even to previous discontinued versions of Mac OS (Kaleidoscope). In comparison, I've only seen a couple themes ported from the Linux world, one of which was just an icon set (Tango, which I admit was pretty nice).

Does this sector exist within the Linux community? It almost seems that UI artists and Linux don't get along with each other too well.

[fatality_uk]

Feast your eyes!!!
http://gnome-look.org/

[iindigo]

Feast your eyes!!!
http://gnome-look.org/

Eh, I've looked through some of the offering there, and while some are alright they're almost all lacking when it comes to attention to detail (that finesse I mentioned in the original post). Many also do not feel "unified" (that is, not all the elements feel like they belong in the same theme).

There are a few that I like, though.

[101011010010]

Hello.
Have you tried Mac4lin?

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=916410&highlight=mac4lin

The last post (90) has the latest down load link.
I hope this helps.

[limestone]

If you want a specific look of your theme, make one. It's the only way of getting what you want.

[fatality_uk]

Obviously all down to personal preferences. I use the Faenza icon set with the Radiance theme, bottom bar missing and Docky installed. To me, it's the best looking UI I have ever had by far! There's enough out there so I am sure you can find something to your taste.

[iindigo]

Hello.
Have you tried Mac4lin?

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=916410&highlight=mac4lin

The last post (90) has the latest down load link.
I hope this helps.

That's pretty cool, but I was speaking more from the perspective of original themes.

To help show what I speak of, here are some examples of really great stuff that came out of the OS X theme era:

http://interfacelift.com/themes-mac/previews/191_neon.gif http://interfacelift.com/themes-mac/previews/182_canum-1.1.png http://interfacelift.com/themes-mac/previews/167_amora-1.0.gif
http://interfacelift.com/themes-mac/previews/040_siro-2.2.2.jpg http://interfacelift.com/themes-mac/previews/104_niqu1.gif http://interfacelift.com/themes-mac/previews/020_fatale.gif
http://interfacelift.com/themes-mac/previews/099_unitygk10.jpg http://interfacelift.com/themes-mac/previews/002_aluminumalloy161.gif


As you can see, the variety of unique looks was excellent, and in each one the artist has taken the time to make sure that it's absolutely perfect, down to the last pixel. And this is only a small sample of the hundreds of themes that were made (I'd give more, but this board limits image posts)...

I'd be very happy if this level of quality, variety, and polish made its way to Linux.

[V for Vincent]

Elementary is top quality stuff. It's got an icon theme and a gtk theme. Some people feel it looks too much like a mac. Personally, I do see the resemblance, but I also feel it's distinct enough.

omgubuntu.co.uk often features interesting new themes like these. They aren't always good, but browsing the articles there beats wading through all the stuff on gnome-look.

[Sand & Mercury]

Cadmium and Elementary first and foremost, also Caesar and Nuala (some of the nicer OS X themes around) have been ported and their authors have done a rather good job. Make sure you grab elementary-nautilus too.

Mac4lin looks awful, steer clear of it.

[Bachstelze]

Am I the only one who LOL'ed at the pompous thread title?

[iindigo]

Elementary is top quality stuff. It's got an icon theme and a gtk theme. Some people feel it looks too much like a mac. Personally, I do see the resemblance, but I also feel it's distinct enough.

omgubuntu.co.uk often features interesting new themes like these. They aren't always good, but browsing the articles there beats wading through all the stuff on gnome-look.


Cadmium and Elementary first and foremost, also Caesar and Nuala (some of the nicer OS X themes around) have been ported and their authors have done a rather good job. Make sure you grab elementary-nautilus too.

Mac4lin looks awful, steer clear of it.

Thanks for the heads up, will definitely take a look at these.



Am I the only one who LOL'ed at the pompous thread title?

Does it really come off like that? It certainly wasn't my intention, and if you could enlighten me as to how it's pompous, I'd really appreciate it.

I meant the title to mean, "Where are themes that have had copious amounts of effort and extreme attention to detail poured into them?", i.e. the themes that are truly great and stand out above the rest, as opposed to those that look like somebody just found the bevel and drop shadow effects in Photoshop and went nuts.

[Bachstelze]

Does it really come off like that?

"Extremely high quality, exceptionally polished" sounds like excessive advertisement to me. Maybe it's just me, though, but either way, it's of course no big deal, just made me chuckle. :p

[Naiki Muliaina]

personally feel dust, ambience and radience are some of the more polished themes in linux. I agree there is a lot of 'played with gimp' themes out there. The most polished themes on linux are some of the e17 themes such as grunge.

[limestone]

long live clearlooks! :D why mess things up?
KISS! (keep it simple stupid)

[Lucradia]

long live clearlooks! :D why mess things up?
KISS! (keep it simple stupid)

Or even openbox for crying out loud.

[limestone]

Or even openbox for crying out loud.

amen :D

[HappinessNow]

So I've messed around with Linux on countless occasions through the last decade or so. Something that's always bothered me, though, is how most UI art in use by the various distributions (and even that which can be downloaded) lacked a certain level of finesse and quality.

I'm mainly a Mac user. Theming is more or less dead on the platform now, but back in the days of Tiger and before, theming was very popular and many very talented artists produced themes. These themes were so good that they managed to get ported to Windows with MSStyles and Windowblinds, Linux with GTK+ (mainly), and even to previous discontinued versions of Mac OS (Kaleidoscope). In comparison, I've only seen a couple themes ported from the Linux world, one of which was just an icon set (Tango, which I admit was pretty nice).

Does this sector exist within the Linux community? It almost seems that UI artists and Linux don't get along with each other too well.
Take a look at this Black Gloss Alpha Theme:
http://goo.gl/GCR6

(http://goo.gl/ylzz)

[Lucradia]

Take a look at this Black Gloss Alpha Theme:
http://goo.gl/GCR6

(http://goo.gl/ylzz)

Maybe a bit... too polished.

[oedipuss]

The elementary theme (http://www.webupd8.org/2010/03/new-version-of-elementary-gnome-theme.html) comes to mind.

Check out those too : bisigi project (http://www.bisigi-project.org/?lang=en). Pretty good quality, and they have their own ppa for easy installation.

[scottuss]

I'm confused. You ask for " Extremely high quality, exceptionally polished themes" and yet you post, as an example, some crappy looking old OS X themes?

You do realise that with a bit of work, you can make Gnome look pretty much any way you want? My desktop looks a million times better than anything I've seen on OS X, and I'd say that it's "Extremely high quality, and exceptionally polished."

Perhaps because it isn't available as a simple point and click, I am to presume that it won't be of high enough quality?

[Delvien]

Some of us concentrate on using our computers, and less at looking at window decorations.

(Yes this is a pot shot at mac users)

[kaldor]

Not sure if it was mentioned, but Oxygen is pretty damn polished.

[kaldor]

Some of us concentrate on using our computers, and less at looking at window decorations.

(Yes this is a pot shot at mac users)

Some of us Mac users concentrate on using our computers, and not at all about toying around with compiz and fighting through hardware issues.

Yes, that was a potshot at Linux users.

[Random_Dude]

Some of us Mac users concentrate on using our computers, and not at all about toying around with compiz and fighting through hardware issues.

Yes, that was a potshot at Linux users.

http://www.overclock.net/attachments/software-news/117607d1248648910-cnet-palm-re-enables-itunes-syncing-oh_snap.gif

[perspectoff]

Feast your eyes!!!
http://gnome-look.org/

And for KDE (for Kubuntu users):

http://kde-look.org/

In fact, I think KDE-look preceded Gnome-look.

I use a lot of customized themes. They are spectacular.

[perspectoff]

http://www.overclock.net/attachments/software-news/117607d1248648910-cnet-palm-re-enables-itunes-syncing-oh_snap.gif

You have to concentrate on using your Mac. I don't. I just concentrate on getting my job done. Ubuntu rules.

Oh yeah, and try to get custom equipment to work with Mac. Fat chance.

[perspectoff]

Not sure if it was mentioned, but Oxygen is pretty damn polished.

Yes, I agree. Oxygen has been the default in KDE (Kubuntu) for a while, and I love it and have stuck with it.

[whiskeylover]

See this thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1531049) for the bes looking themes EVER!

[LowSky]

See this thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1531049) for the bes looking themes EVER!

Rotten Candy 4 Life!


Extremely high quality, exceptionally polished theme? hhmmmm... Pay me $100,000 I build you one.

[Random_Dude]

You have to concentrate on using your Mac. I don't. I just concentrate on getting my job done. Ubuntu rules.

Oh yeah, and try to get custom equipment to work with Mac. Fat chance.

I'm not a mac user, not even a fan actually.
I just liked kaldor's reply. You can't assume that all mac users spend all their time drooling over how cool their computers look.

Cheers :cool:

[Frogs Hair]

There are some nice themes here. http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=GTK+themes

[perspectoff]

Am I the only one who LOL'ed at the pompous thread title?

Yeah, he's a Mac troll.

[realzippy]

See this thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1531049) for the bes looking themes EVER!

rotten candy (http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=163387&d=1279130733).

+1

[kerry_s]

i like the default ubuntu theme & the mac style.
i do miss safari. :lolflag:

[NightwishFan]

Try the community-themes package. I like some of the themes on there. Also I do not fight with hardware issues, quite the contrary. ;)

[Naiki Muliaina]

Yeah, he's a Mac troll.

He has a point, I agree most themes on Linux look dire. He also admits himself he cant change theme so easily any more on Mac. He can see both sides of the argument and admit it, not a troll. :)


Some of us Mac users concentrate on using our computers, and not at all about toying around with compiz and fighting through hardware issues.

Yes, that was a potshot at Linux users.

Now this is a troll, he is also a pretty bad one. I tend to find Ubuntu use able now because I concentrate on using my computer. Not fiddling about with un-intuitive GUI's. ):P Bad trolls make weak points. Try harder next time.

[finny388]

Obviously all down to personal preferences. I use the Faenza icon set with the Radiance theme, bottom bar missing and Docky installed. To me, it's the best looking UI I have ever had by far! There's enough out there so I am sure you can find something to your taste.

are you willing to post a screenshot? :D

[fatality_uk]

are you willing to post a screenshot? :D

Of course! Slightly doctored to remove all desktop files!

[kaldor]

Now this is a troll, he is also a pretty bad one. I tend to find Ubuntu use able now because I concentrate on using my computer. Not fiddling about with un-intuitive GUI's. ):P Bad trolls make weak points. Try harder next time.

I use Linux more than I use OS X. I prefer Linux over OS X for the most part as well, and Linux outnumbers OS X 3:1 in my home.

When people bash macs and make unjust statements about it because of the typical "Macs are stupid and suck because they're Macs" attitude, I don't like it. I can easily come up with a false/semi-true statement just to bash Ubuntu/Linux users if I want as well.

Saying you have to focus on a Mac when you don't have to focus on Ubuntu is simply bad logic. I also do one hell of a lot more than stare at my window decorations all day.

[JK3mp]

Eh i see where your coming from I always find myself constantly switching themes, hard to come to one i just STAY on, always find more i like on one, somthin i dnt like on it etc. Thats the beauty though i can change it however i like, and if there's not one made i can't complain unless im gonna make one myself :P (though my gimp skillz are notz so leetz lulz)

[disastrophe]

See this thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1531049) for the bes looking themes EVER!
Gee, thanks a lot. I think it burned into my monitor.

[Naiki Muliaina]

Saying you have to focus on a Mac when you don't have to focus on Ubuntu is simply bad logic. I also do one hell of a lot more than stare at my window decorations all day.

Its not at all. I find both Windows and Macs very un-intuitive. The layout of where everything is is not as nicely laid out as Ubuntu. I will admit I am not used to the GUIs but I have to use them on and off reguarly and I simply dont find them logical. On that, I do have to focus more on both Mac and Windows than I do Ubuntu. Quite logical if you ask me.

Also, tarring everyone with the same brush in your pot shots is still weak. :)

[realzippy]

Of course! Slightly doctored to remove all desktop files!
Top panel is not exceptionally polished at all.

[JK3mp]

Wow after looking at the link by whiskey.... themes on gnome-look are actually looking pretty good. =)

[fatality_uk]

Top panel is not exceptionally polished at all.

Me likes, that's ALL that matters!!!

When we are talking about polished, are we talking "shiny/glossy" or professional?

[realzippy]

...talking about not polished.

[disastrophe]

Gee, thanks a lot. I think it burned into my monitor.

My bad, it was my contacts.

[j.bell730]

...talking about not polished.

You misunderstood. What he's asking is: "What's your definition of 'polished'?" Is it glossy? Professional? What?

[kamaboko]

I ask myself, "What would Borat say about this?"

"Oh...Polish dreams? Lets a me tell you about my uncle..."

**You'd have to see the movie**

[Delvien]

Some of us Mac users concentrate on using our computers, and not at all about toying around with compiz and fighting through hardware issues.

Yes, that was a potshot at Linux users.

Some of us know what we are doing and don't have those problems

Yes, that was a potshot at dont-know-anything-about-computers users.

[KdotJ]

Elementary all the way... Together with nautilus-elementary

[MasterNetra]

long live clearlooks! :D why mess things up?
KISS! (keep it simple stupid)

Well if you want to go that route, then why bother with a GUI?

[armageddon08]

Sonar theme...

[MasterNetra]

Deep Green
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Deep+Green?content=80841

[YeOK]

http://goo.gl/Y2KY (DeviantArt)

^ I actually think the above is an excellent theme, I still use it with a few modifications.


169760

[Lucradia]

I still say OpenBox.

[jtarin]

Am I the only one who LOL'ed at the pompous thread title?
No I did when I realized it wasn't a call for me to make another theme.:p:p:p

[shuamu]

Am I the only one who LOL'ed at the pompous thread title?

Agreed. I don't know what the problem is. I think Lynx has really put its best foot forward with very attractive themes. I made minor changes using the out-of-the-box themes, and I must say that I've never found a theme that I find more appealing.

I, however, am not very impressed by any of the Mac OS themes. Mac Design bores me to bits.

[jshepherd]

Deep Green
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Deep+Green?content=80841

I was actually erring on the OP's side until this post. Well spotted.;)

[Brandel Valico]

I'm a fan of Clearlooks myself minus the bottom panel and with a Dock.

It's clean and does what I need it to do and thats all I care about.

My Desktop (http://home.comcast.net/~BrandelValico/Images/Screenshot.png)

[jtarin]

Obviously all down to personal preferences. I use the Faenza icon set with the Radiance theme, bottom bar missing and Docky installed. To me, it's the best looking UI I have ever had by far! There's enough out there so I am sure you can find something to your taste.

My setup exactly sans Docky which I returned still under warranty.