Do you aim for professional/"seamless" desktops or simply your personal design?

[Mazza558]

What I mean by this is, do you set up your desktop to look very seamless and "complete", to the point where it could be mistaken for an expensive OS, or do you prefer to set things up how you like them, using stylized and very personalized desktops that probably wouldn't appeal to anyone else but you?

I've attached a screenie of my laptop, and in my opinion, it looks so professional that people could mistake it for something I bought.

On the other hand, I could switch my DE to something more lightweight, like fluxbox, and people would immediately think I'm using some obscure hobbyist's OS (though fluxbox can look just as stunning).

EDIT: Uploaded another image, showing a window and terminal

[tekguy]

That looks really nice. Mind sharing what theme and addons you are using there? I've been running the default theme ever since I have started running Ubuntu at version 6.06. I have a hard time finding anything that looks good.

[Mazza558]

That looks really nice. Mind sharing what theme and addons you are using there? I've been running the default theme ever since I have started running Ubuntu at version 6.06. I have a hard time finding anything that looks good.

Sure...

Theme: Aurora 1.4 (modded to make buttons less rounded)
Wallpaper: HERE (http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper/details.php?id=1498)
Icons: NuoveXT 2.2
Calendar app: Rainlendar 2
Dock: AWN

[NoSmokingBandit]

I always aim for a completely seamless desktop. I actually posted a thread a few days ago asking if anyone knew any complete gnome themes that skin everything from icons to the login screen. I like things to look uniform. I like the organization of it, it makes me feel like i can get more done.

[LaRoza]

I go for extreme simplicity.

My prefered setup at the moment:

* Black background
* One panel at top, with nothing fancy or colourful when I am not using Fluxbox
* Grey or dark tones for Windows.
* No effects.

Fluxbox: http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs222&d=07515&f=fluxbox.png
Windows: http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs222&d=07515&f=vistaDesktop.png (Yes, that is Vista)

[billgoldberg]

When I use gnome I use the mac4lin theme (don't use the dock, don't like it) and some people might think it's osx.

But I also use e17 and I find that to look good to.

[Mazza558]

When I use gnome I use the mac4lin theme (don't use the dock, don't like it) and some people might think it's osx.

But I also use e17 and I find that to look good to.

That looks great :)

[corney91]

I reckon personal's the best - usable for yourself but not for others ;)

[smartboyathome]

I like to make my desktop look good for me. I use the same theme as billgoldberg (on e17), but with a different wallpaper. I don't usually sync my login and splashy themes to the rest of my desktop because my desktop changes pretty much monthly.

[FuturePilot]

Yes, I try to make my themes, icons and wallpapers match so that it has a very smooth complete look to it, but it cannot be mistaken for another OS.

[urukrama]

I aim for something I like. There are only two criteria: the colours and shapes have to match, and I should like it ;-) I don't think my desktops look 'professional', and no one that I know has ever mistaken my desktop for another OS.

Attached are a few screenshots of (recent) favourite desktops. All are Pekwm or Openbox. The first two are my current Pekwm and Openbox setups.

[sunexplodes]

Yeah. I heavily personalise mine, but my tastes tend to gravitate to smooth, elegant and well-organized spaces, so I'd be unsurprised if a person felt it looked professional.

[sunexplodes]

59867

[Ebuntor]

59867

That sure is a beautiful dark theme, and so are the matching icons, what are they called?

[sunexplodes]

The icon theme is called Breathless and it's on Kde-look, but I've modified it a bit with icons I've found all over the place.

[p_quarles]

I don't want my desktop to look like anyone else's. Making that so takes a lot of work, though.

[hhhhhx]

I like mine to be as seamless as possible, i like it to be its own.

http://bp0.blogger.com/_uwERVcH0ci4/R7ffWDojdxI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Qiobcbeyxds/s1600-h/Screenshot.png

[SomeGuyDude]

Heavily personalized, but with unity as the main goal. I've tinkered a bit since this photo, but as you can see I love dark monochrome (as I'm sure my avatar and old tattoo photos will also attest). Currently I'm using Aurora Midnight just to see if a little brighter look makes navigation easier.

I don't care if it looks "professional", but that doesn't mean I want it to seem disjointed or like a toy. I like some icon sets but it has to seem incredibly polished to me, and if the various pieces don't blend together well, I'm not a happy camper.

[billgoldberg]

Heavily personalized, but with unity as the main goal. I've tinkered a bit since this photo, but as you can see I love dark monochrome (as I'm sure my avatar and old tattoo photos will also attest). Currently I'm using Aurora Midnight just to see if a little brighter look makes navigation easier.

I don't care if it looks "professional", but that doesn't mean I want it to seem disjointed or like a toy. I like some icon sets but it has to seem incredibly polished to me, and if the various pieces don't blend together well, I'm not a happy camper.

Looks very nice.

Is that pidgin on the right side, if so how did you get it like that?

[sloggerkhan]

It's a big deal to me that things match and look somewhat cohesive, but I don't go for the over the top pro glossy look normally. I mess with stuff too much to worry about having a perfected theme anyhow.

http://ubuntuforums.org/g/images/176924/large/1_Screenshot.png
http://ubuntuforums.org/g/index.php?n=2006

http://ubuntuforums.org/g/images/176924/large/1_zebrabars.jpg
http://ubuntuforums.org/g/index.php?n=1360

http://ubuntuforums.org/g/images/176924/large/1_Screenshot2.jpg
http://ubuntuforums.org/g/index.php?n=423

are three from various points in the last year or so.

[corney91]

Looks very nice.

Is that pidgin on the right side, if so how did you get it like that?

Looks like the pidgin screenlet. (http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/PidginScreenlet?content=72611)

[staticvoid]

59867

wow, this is the most amazing kde desktop i've ever seen! is it easy to config?
icons themes background... etc? :) "i want one...!!"

ok, attached is mine currently, and i'd go for a mix of both. personal preference, but professional... cause... my personal preference is pro??

:)

[SomeGuyDude]

Looks like the pidgin screenlet. (http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/PidginScreenlet?content=72611)

With the theme from the Neutronium Deepblack packate.

[sajro]

I go for a somewhat minimalistic idea. No icons, no launchers (everything from terminal or right-click menu). I use OpenBox, Simple-Industrial theme. Not displayed, but I use ROX-Filer for its speed and usefulness. The wallpaper is, sadly, under restrictive copyright but it's awesome and it's from http://www.visualparadox.com.

Screenshot
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/6237/desktopse2.png

[Don S]

I like my desktop to be as useful as possible. If I need to personalize something, to make it smarter, so be it. I prefer drop-down menu's and launchers in the panel, for the programs I use most, a fresh theme, preferably orange/brown - you guessed it, I'm using the human theme.

Well, I'm currently on my newly acquired laptop, and I've turned my old PC into a LAMP server, so I haven't had the time to personalize the computer yet. Therefore I will provide no screenshot of my oh-so-normal desktop.

[kamaboko]

I don't know what I'd call my desktop. Judge for yourself. I'm working with a 14" screen, so I try to budget the candy.

[spupy]

For me "seamless" means making a fluxbox theme that fits the gtk theme and making sure all the icons on the desktop are stylistically compatible.
Besides that, my environment is so customized that other persons most probably wont be able to operate it. >:D

Who would think that to listen to some music you would have to press F2 and type "tune"!

Here are some screens. (http://vesso.marv.lafka.net/screens/screens17/) Go to parent dir for older screenes.

[urukrama]

Who would think that to listen to some music you would have to press F2 and type "tune"!

What app do you use for that? Just curious.

[spupy]

What app do you use for that? Just curious.

#!/bin/bash
mpd
scmpc
sonata &

Of course, to stop the music, i type "untune"! :P

[grte]

Definitely personalized. I don't think anyone but another dwm user could even make use of my desktop, and even then they'd have to figure out my custom keybinds.