Have you tried to make your Windows look more like Linux?

[foxy123]

I guess a lot of people here are forced to use Windows at their workplaces. After switching fully on Linux it becomes a nuisance. I wonder if anyone has tried to make Windows at least look more like Linux adding some of Linux functionality like desktop switcher and stuff.

I came across some mentioning of things like bblean in the other thread and tried it. But it was a bit buggy and sort of alien for me. However I saw nice screenshots, like the one here (http://www.boxshots.org/screenies/3784.jpg). The problem I have no idea how to achieve it on my work laptop.Anyway I guess that there may be other shells around. Anyone to share some experience here?

[aysiu]

There's a lot of sharing right here (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=172993).

Unfortunately, I haven't had the energy to try out most of those suggestions yet.

[RavenOfOdin]

Install LiteStep, set up a bunch of themes like KDE3 and get Cygwin.
Either that or you can opt for the virtualized Linux OS with VMWare. You're going to need a LOT of RAM for the latter though.

Some settings like network adapters aren't changeable through a virtualized system either, so what you have listed on the network settings of the virtual OS might not necessarily be what's inside your box.

[fuscia]

i had it looking like icewm towards the end.

[beercz]

No

[manicka]

I had a nice theme based on gentoo happening once. Unfortunately it crippled XP even further than it already is. Now I just use the classic theme and forget about all the frills. I never boot into it, but my wife does and has noticed a considerable speed improvement when you turn all the gimmicks off.

[Jucato]

Yeah I tried making XP look like Linux. It almost looks like GNOME, though I wish I could make it look more like KDE. I followed the suggestions in this (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=136401) thread.

[raptros-v76]

i dont use windows. if anyone at school tries to question me, i tell them to ... well, you get the point. i tell them to get off my case.

[ubuntu27]

I've never tried to make WIndos look like GNU/Linux. But, I have installed many apps that are OpenSource like OPenOffice ;)

[Jucato]

@foxy123: I was able to view the screenshot you linked to just now. And boy am I impressed. I'm intrigued at how it was made possible to have a panel/taskbar like that...

@RavenOfOdin: any personal experience with using LiteStep?

[foxy123]

@foxy123: I was able to view the screenshot you linked to just now. And boy am I impressed. I'm intrigued at how it was made possible to have a panel/taskbar like that...
there is a topic on this (http://www.lostinthebox.com/viewtopic.php?p=11065#11065) forum about it, but I have not found any instructions.

[NESFreak]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx here are some nice tools for xp
"Virtual Desktop Manager
Manage up to four desktops from the Windows taskbar with this PowerToy."
unfortunately its slow as hell :(

[Lord Illidan]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx here are some nice tools for xp
"Virtual Desktop Manager
Manage up to four desktops from the Windows taskbar with this PowerToy."
unfortunately its slow as hell :(

And it doesn't work as good as the default desktop switcher found in XFCE, Gnome and Fluxbox and KDE...blurrgh, can't microsoft copy something well?

[Jucato]

Microsoft can't, but some others can. And sometimes, even better...

Dexpot Virtual Desktops (http://www.dexpot.de/index.php?lang=en)
It's like virtual desktops and expose all rolled into one. And it's fast, last time I used it. No revolving cubes (Compiz) or desktops (3D Desktop) though.

Launchy, the Keystroke Launcher for Windows (http://www.launchy.net/)
Another Quicksilver clone, but even better, it's Open Source! Customizable themes and directory scans, it's even better than KDE's Katapult. Of course, nothing beats full blown search/indexing apps like Beagle. But this is an application launcher as well.

Of course, these are just eye-candy stuff. No matter how much you try to dress something up, if deep inside it's rotten, it will still remain rotten.

(It just leaves me wishin that there would be more stuff like this in Linux, very soon...)

[djsroknrol]

I haven't booted "The dark side" for almost a month now at home...can't say I miss it.

At work, it's XP all day, and MAS90 takes up the whole desktop along with Excel all day long, so I don't even notice I'm using MS much....

[ed_agamemnon]

There's Blackbox for Windows too.

[sanderella]

Certainly not!

[nuvo]

I used LiteStep ages ago.
I also had some XP themes that were supposed to look like SuSE running KDE...
Nothing was as good as actualy running Linux though.

[foxy123]

Browsing the links I found Apurva: A beginner’s guide to customization, skinning and shell replacements (http://www.apurva.com/Articles/AGuidetoDesktopCustomization/tabid/64/Default.aspx)

It's a nice document. The problem is that most of the suggested software is either commercial (at least shareware) or involves some drastic changes like shell replacement.

[gruvsyco]

Actually, I try to get my Windows to look more like a hybrid Win/OSX system. I love the OSX dock and really wish there was a solid one for Linux/Ubuntu that worked well with XGL/Compiz.