Most of the people think that Linux is an un-userfiendly operating system with horrible graphics! Most of them think that Windows have better desktop effects! Well… that’s in the old time… Today its the other way around. Do you know that you can customise a Linux desktop with better effects than windows? Today Im going to show you how to turn your Ubuntu desktop into something you’ll love better than windows!
First, What do we need?
- You’ll need to download this wallpaper. Actually I can’t remember from where I took it, but I must say that who ever created it did a great job! (If you know the person who created it, or if you are the creator please let us know about it by leaving a comment!)
- Next, you need to download Genoid theme. Download the theme, extract it, but don’t install it!
Lets Start, Shall We?
1) First lets install the wallpaper :
- Right click on your the desktop and select “Change Desktop Background”. Select the “Background” tab (it will be selected by default).
- After that click on “Add” as shown in the image, select the downloaded wallpaper, and click “Open”
2) Now, lets set up the theme :
- If you have closed the above window, open it again. (right click on your the desktop and select “Change Desktop Background”). Select the “Theme” tab.
- In that, click on “Install”, and go to the folder which you have extracted the downloaded theme. In there you’ll see : “cursor.tar.bz2″ , ”iconset.tar.bz2″. Click them one by one and click on “Open”. (After you open one file, again click “Install” and add the other file. Like that, add both of them)
- Now, as your theme, keep the default “Human” theme selected, and click on “Customize”.
- Click on the “Window Border” tab and, in there, select “New Wave”. Now click “Icons” tab and select “Genoid”. Click on “Pointer” tab, and select “GenoidCursor”. After your done, click “Close”
3) Next, lets set up the panels :
- Right click on on the upper panel (windows users may call this the “task bar”) and select “Properties”. In there, go to the “Background” tab, select “Solid Color” and pull the “Style” towards “Transparent”. Do the same to the bottom panel.
4) Screenlets!
- Open the terminal (In the main menu : Applications > Accessories > Terminal) and type in the following command :
sudo apt-get install screenlets
- Now, go to the main menu : Applications > Accessories > Screenlets . In that list, select “RingSensors” (You can duble click on it again to add more sensors), and select “Start/Stop” , “Auto start on login” as shown in the image :
- Do the same to the “Netmonitor” screenlet.
- After that right click on the Ringsensor that you have added and select “Properties”. Now, go to the “Options” tab, select “Keep below” and deselect “Keep above”. Inside “Options” tab go to the “Sensors” tab and change th “Sensor to Display” to the sensor you want, and also feel free to change the colors.
- Do the same to the “Netmonitor” screenlet. (Note : it don’t have sensors to select! and its options are different)
- After that drag and place them where ever you want.
5) Avant Window Navigator!
- Open the terminal (In the main menu : Applications > Accessories > Terminal) and type in the following command :
sudo apt-get install avant-window-navigator
- Now, go to the main menu : Applications > Accessories > Avant Window Navigator .
- To change the options of it, select “Awn Manager” as in the image :
- Go to “Applets” and select (one by one) “Awn System Monitor” , “Awn Terminal Applet” and click on activate.
Final Look :
How does it look now? Interesting? Awesome? Come on… speak… Leave a comment on how you feel about your new look and Enjoy!
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Hi Pubudu Kodikara,,,
Really Purple Boy looking awesome… Definitely i will give a try to this friend.
Deepika´s last blog ..7-Sureshot Methods To Increase Your Blog Readership
Greate! glad you enjoyed it! :D
Pubudu Kodikara´s last blog ..Ubuntu Customization Guide : Purple Boy
Great tutorials man, always was thinking of making my ubuntu desktop a bit more cooler, your tutorial did the stuff
cool! :D and you can improvise it and make your desktop more cooler! :D
Pubudu Kodikara´s last blog ..Ubuntu Customization Guide : Purple Boy
the looks were far better and i will call this as Windows Purple.. :D
Rajesh Kanuri´s last blog ..How To Solve Missed Schedule Error In Wordpress 2.9
:P i don’t think windows have such effects in it! :D
Pubudu Kodikara´s last blog ..By: Pubudu Kodikara
You have sent a strong message to people who think Linux is a mess. Anyone after using Suse 12 will never feel like returning to Windows.
Ramkumar´s last blog ..ASUS P835 PDA phone Review:
hehe your absolutely right bro!
Pubudu Kodikara´s last blog ..By: Pubudu Kodikara
Grab your copy of Ninja Affiliate Plugin
http://www.teentechguru.com/giving-away-ninja-affiliate-plugin-this-new-year/
I’m going to try this on a friend’s Linux machine this weekend ;)
TechChunks´s last blog ..Firefox 3.5 beats IE7 and takes the ‘Most Popular Browser’ Spot
Great! after that you you do it in your machine! :D
Pubudu Kodikara´s last blog ..By: Ching Ya
Nice looking desktop Pubudu, however : I my desktop looks like the desk of Albert Einstein ! :( [ and if you have never seen Einsteins messy desktop - then you have no idea as to what I am talking about :D - I have millions of files on my Mac Desktop ] ; basically there is no more room to store anything on my desktop- I envy this desktop now ..maybe after I get my Windows, I will be better able to manage everything -I need 3 computers basically :D ! what shall be done with me ? I wonder ??? :D
Mia
Mia´s last blog ..Enabling Your "FF" Browser at Warp Speed
When i write a post with many screen-shots, my desktop also looks like Einstein’s… actually that gives me a real headache :P
Pubudu Kodikara´s last blog ..By: Ching Ya
If you actually like Avant Window Navigator, you might want to check out AWN 0.4:
http://www.webupd8.org/2009/10/avant-window-navigator-awn-04-available.html
It has better support for dual screens and I like having the background curved (YMMV).
-J
It’s Windows, not windows.
Hey PK,
I am new to ubuntu and this was an amazing guide.
Thank you. You are insane…
Useful Info and yeah Linux distros has amazing graphics but most of the windows users do not know
Great customization tip for Ubuntu Lovers. Hats off buddy :D
TechChunks´s last blog ..Opera 10.50 Released For Windows, Mac And Linux Version ‘Coming Soon’
Nice tips..
I’m using Karmic Koala, and WASP theme. It’s lighter than the default theme. :D
Gojeg´s last blog ..Awesome Blogger Feature : Blogger Template Designer
Wow, that is amazing! It really IS better than some of the Widows desktops. How on earth did you ever figure this out? Thanks a lot for making Linux way cooler than Windows (not that it wasn’t already).