The Ultimate Ubuntu Customization Guide
Open Source has always been 1 step ahead of Windows/OSX as its Open for all and its free
when Gaming is not taken into consideration. There are many OS in Open Source World but choosing the right one is tough , the main dominator's of Open Source OS department are Open Suse, Ubuntu and Fedora ..
Among these three the former two are the most stable in the Open Source world. Open Suse is mainly considered for high end Tux user, while Ubuntu is for any one even for one whose hasn't use Linux.
While other OS in Linux world are also there some newly emerged stars in this arena are Mandriva this is mainly for newbie. while some other are Slax, Dynebolic. Today all Os companies are at their peak M$ launched Vista , Apple launched Leapord while there are newer version of Linux .This guide I bring up for those who are newbie in Ubuntu customization and are new to Open Source
world .. Since two new OS i.e Vista and Leapord have been released. Both these Os are full of eye candy. So this guide wll be focusing on customizing the Ubuntu to much similar looking Vista and OSX Leapord.
I have tried to kept the guide as simple as I can so that even a newbie can
understand how to make changes.
Points to Ponder
This guide is made to customize
Ubuntu Feisty Fawn aka Ubuntu 7.04 . If you did not know where to get it then look here
Go: Ubuntu Feisty Fawn Free . Here you will find all the essential information how to get Ubuntu OS. If you face any problem while installing the Os then refer Montylee guide
here Ubuntu Feisty Fawn Installation guide .
“The themes icon set , wallpaper ,desklets used while
customization the Operating System are ® to thier
respective owner. Copying and use of those
application are free and can be distributed without
the owner permission.”
Apart from the theme icon set posted you can get your own choice icon set , theme and wallpaper from
Gnome *Look . So you can install themes, screensaver, icons and all from the above link.
Customization To OSX
So finally lets begin the customization of Ubuntu. 1'st customization will be dedicated to change the way and looks of your Ubuntu to Mac OSX. So here is the default Ubuntu desktop. What you notice is 2 taskbars one for navigation for the menu and other for navigating active windows using trash can and other option.
While OSX sports only 1 task bar and a dock.. I'll let you know how to configure and install both the objects . So lets start doing customization.
Follow the steps below to configure the panels/task bars as same as OSX..
- The first thing is to make only 1 panel available. To make our task bar like OSX we need to delete the lower panel.To delete the lower panel Right Click the lower panel and select delete panel option.
- Now the lower panel get deleted. Notice:That the deleted panael contain Trash Can & the Show desktop button. Since we all delete files so trash can is important, while Show Desktop is not.
- So now configure panel with lost icons and few customization. Delete the
Menu Bar on the Upper Left side of the Panel. To delete this simply right
click the menu bar and select remove from panel.Now remove 3 icons near menu bar like Fire fox and help. Simple right click icons and selec remove from panel.
- Since you have deleted all source to reach menu now its difficult to reach menu. So to make it simple, right on the empty space on the upper left corner from where you deleted Menu bar and select “Add to Panel” and you will see some icons there scroll down to the utility section. In the Utility section click on “Main Menu” do not choose menu bar choose only Main menu then click add to panel.Now like OSX/Windows start button you have also created the start button.
- Now create a separator to do this just click near to the Main Menu/Start button and select Add to panel again scroll down to Utility Section and select Separator and click on Add.Now you have separator btw menu and application.
- You can also add “Quick Launch” to the upper task bar . To do this right click near the separator of main menu and click on Add to Panel option. In add to panel windows there are 2 Tabs one is for Custom Application Launcher and other is Application launcher. Select Application launcher. Then there will be main menu type drop down list. Select the application that you want to add in your Quick Launch through Drop down list.Now you have successfully created quick launch .
- Now one thing is left that is Trash Can/Recycle bin. to create the icon for Trash Can right click on the upper left empty near the network icon and select Add to panel Option. Now under “Desktop & Windows” option choose Trash can and Click on add.
For OSX I have short listed 1 theme for Visual Style,Icons and Cursor. Since there are different theme from which you can try it out but for the guide I am recommending the same.
Here are download link of theme , icon set and cursor.
Installation:* Installing themes and icon are pretty similar. To install theme and icon follow the follow the following property.. It is advisable that you follow the customization of Panels before than installing the theme
To install the themes and icons first download them from the given location.
- After you download them you wil notice they are zipped packs a special
extension .tar.bz file .
- The next step do not unzip the file leave them as it is. Now click on the Start Button/Main Menu. Now points towards System.Then towards Preferences. Then select theme option.
- Now after you'll open theme a new window will appear having few options and some themes pre-*installed.
- Click on Install Theme button. Then browse the file where have you kept and then select it. Note: Keeping the files on desktop wil help a newbie.
- Now after you select the theme it will get installed automatically. Now you will be asked to “Keep Current theme” or “Apply New Theme” select apply new theme. The installed theme will be temporarily be saved as a “Custom Theme”.
- Now after you get your theme installed time for installing the Icons. Installing Icons is damn easy in the same theme window you will notice a button tagged “Customize” click it.
- Now a new screen will open which will contain 4 tags. Points towards icon and select it. Click on Install Icon button and browse the icon where you saved it. Select it and will get installed automatically.
Now after you installed the Icon Set close the Customize Window.Now Click on Save button and save your theme by giving it an appropriate name. Bingo you just installed a theme and icon.
Cursor :* There are 2 ways to install a cursor.One is just as same as installing Icon and other.
- 1st Installation Process :* To install an icon follow these steps .. The Icon Set also comes in .tar.bz file format. If a icon did not come in .tar.bz format and come in .zip format then try looking under the zipped might the author put the .tar.gz inside the zipped pack .
- Click on My Menu/Start Button, point towards System, then towards Preferences, then select Themes.
- A new windows will appear . Click on Customization . Point towards Icon click on Install ..Browse through the file select it and click ok.
- After installing the Cursor it will ask you to “Keep Current theme” or “Apply New Theme” then select Keep Current theme. Now exit the Themes windows.
- Next step is to set your installed cursor.. to do this . Click on My Menu/Start Button, point towards System, then towards Preferences, then Click on Mouse options.
- A new windows will open.. Click on Pointer Tab scroll down to see your installed Cursor .. Select it by clicking it.
- 2nd Installation Process: * The second installation is darn easy. 1'st download the .tar.gz file . The Uncompress it. You'll find a folder named after the Icon . Like if you download abc.tar.gz then the Unzipped folder will be abc.
- After you uncompress the folder. Copy or Cut the folder. Hope you all know how to do that :bleh:.
- Then click on My Menu/Start Button, and point towards Places. Open My Computer or any drive you want.
- Then in the address bar of the Opened windows type /home/<user name>/.icons this will open a new windows where all Icon cursor and theme get saved.
- Paste the copied or cutted unzipped folder here. Exit the windows.
Next step is to set your installed cursor.. to do this .
- Click on My Menu/Start Button, point towards System, then towards Preferences, then Click on Mouse options.
- A new windows will open.. Click on Pointer Tab scroll down to see your installed Cursor .. Select it by clicking it.
Now you get a fulfilled
OSX Leapord desktop. Decorate your desktop with OSX theme matching Wallpaper.You are done with
OSX Customization.
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WoW is at next page what you waiting read the next part too  .
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Customization To Vista
2nd customization will be dedicated to change the way and looks of your Ubuntu to M$ Vista. As we all know Vista sports only 1 task bar. Which is on tha lower part of desktop rather than upper when compared to OSX upper taskbar
.
Follow the steps below to configure the panels/taskbars as same as Vista.
- The first thing is to make only 1 panel available. To make our task bar like Vista we need to delete the upper panel.To delete the upper panel Right Click the upper panel and select delete panel option.
- Now the upper panel get deleted. Notice:That the deleted panel contain Menu Bar, Clock, Sound Control, Workspace switcher, network connection and Notification area. All these icons are very important so we need to put them all back in the lower panel.
- So now configure panel with lost icons and few customization. Delete the Show Desktop on the lower Left side of the Panel. To delete this simply right click the Show Desktop and select remove from panel.
- Since you have deleted all source to reach menu now its difficult to reach menu. So to make it simple, right on the empty space on the lower left corner from where you deleted Show Desktop and select “Add to Panel” and you will see some icons there scroll down to the utility section. In the Utility section click on “Main Menu”do not choose menu bar choose only Main menu then click add to panel.Now like OSX/Windows start button you have also created the start button.
- Now create a separator to do this just click near to the Main Menu/Start button and select Add to panel again scroll down to Utility Section and select Separator and click on Add.Now you have separator btw menu and application.
- You can also add “Quick Launch” to the upper taskbar . To do this right click near the separator of main menu and click on Add to Panel option. In add to panel windows there are 2 Tabs one is for Custom Application Launcher and other is Application launcher. Select Application launcher. Then there will be main menu type drop down list. Select the application that you want to add in your Quick Launch through Drop down list.Now you have successfully created quick launch .
- Now we have to add three new things. i.e Clock[ Not necessary if you plan to use Widget Clock], Volume Control and Notification area.
- Now to add these three things right click near the workspace switcher which looks like 2 small rectangle. Then open Add To Panel.. 1st from Accessories select Clock. 2nd from system and hardware select Volume Control. 3rd from Utilities select Notification Area. Now you are done with customization of Vista Taskbar.
For
Vista I have short-listed 1 theme for Visual Style,Icons and Cursor. Since there are different theme from which you can try it out but for the guide I am recommending the same.
Here are download link of theme , icon set and cursor.
Installation: The installation process is same so I think its useless to repeat again and again
Of Docks and Desks
A computer without any eye candy is just like a Tea without Sugar. The docks
& desklets present in Windows and OSX are memory hog while docks &
desklets in Linux are not memory hog. Even a system with 256 MB ram can
run them easily without any hang and hassle. Thats why Linux customization is
way better even if you do not have power monters. So lets start to learn how to
install Dock and Desks.
Installation of Desklets/Widgets :* Today with increasing awareness for
Open Source resources for
Open Source are also increasing .. There are lots of option for Desklets manager like gDesklets, aDesklets and all .. while most used and pretty stable version is gDesklets.
So I'll let you know how to install gDesklets.
To Install gDesklets follow these steps.
Click on
Main Menu/Start Button. Now points towards
Accessories and click on
Terminal. The
Terminal is the Code Panel from where you can access any part of OS through it you can install,un-install any program.
Type this in Terminal:“sudo apt*get install gdesklets” without quotes. You will be prompt for password enter it . The password won't be visible even it would be seen through symbols like
* . But the pass code get
entered so didn't get haphazard. After few step you will be asked that the application will consume an amount of disk space do you want to continue press y and hit enter after all the installation done. type
exit and hit enter.
Now you can Access your
Gdesklets from
Main Menu*> Accessories *>gDesklets.
Since the
gDesklets will not get added to your
Startup Items automatically so you have to add it
. To do this . Click on
Main Menu/Start Button. Point towards
System and then towards
Preferences. and then click on
Sessions.
Then under
Startup Program Tag click on New . In
Name bar enter
gDesklets and in
Command Bar enter
gdesklets start.
“Phew thats all for tiny looking gadgets that aquify your desktop.”
Now what you waiting for add some desklets from gDesklets . Open it from Accessories and to add a desklets double click from the given option.
Note: You can configure/move and adjust the desklets by right clicking them .
Few Sites from where you can install additional desklets for gDesklets.
- Unofficial gDesklets : Zen Computes
- Official gDesklets : gDesklets Home Page
Screenlets:- Screenlets are small owner-drawn applications just like
desklets,
screenlets add eye candy to the desktop they are written in
Python. language
.The screenlet are more advanced and better quality version of screenlets. Install it and have fun
To install screenlets follow these steps :-
1'st we need to add Repositories to the file system so that while installing we get authentication from file checker.
To add Repo. follow these steps.:-
Click on
Main Menu, then point towards
System then towards
Administration the open
Synaptic Manager by left Clicking it. Since it comes under
Administration so you need to enter the passwords.
After Synp Manager get open, look at the tool bar it is having and click on
Settings a drop down list will appear . Select
Repositories from the list. A new windows will appear .. Click on the
Third Party Software tab . Under this click on
add and
copy the following commands in the bar.
Code:
deb http://hendrik.kaju.pri.ee/ubuntu feisty screenlets
Add it and close Repositories screen.
Now to confirm you had done it correctly look again in
Synaptic Manger tool bar and click on “
Edit”. a drop down list will appear and click on “
Reload Package Information” . Now after the process ends. Click on
Search option and type
Screenlets and hit enter . This step is to confirm the addition of
Screenlets repo.
Now Installation begins. To Install Screenlets click on
Main Menu then point towards
Accessories and open
Terminal ... In terminal type these commands.
Code:
wget http://hendrik.kaju.pri.ee/ubuntu/F854AFD7.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add - && sudo apt-get update
and hit enter .. After the process gets done. type this
Code:
sudo apt-get install screenlets
and hit enter .. The screenlets will get downloaded and will be installed in the system ...
Now to access it Click on
Main Menu point towards
Accessories and Open Screenlets. Now to add a screen lets click on it and add it.Now your are done with screenlets installation and usage
Note: You must use Berly to get the full effect of Screenlets else you will get Black corners in screenlets.
To get more info and screenlets : -
Screenlets
Installing Docks.: Docks are very good replacement for taskbar depends if you can master them without Task bar .Docks are good source of eye candy which hogs memory I n case of other Paid OS. While not so in Linux as already told..
[ Err. I am embarrasing Windows users ]
But still we Tuxer did not receive any Stable version of any of the docks presents today for Linux. But
AWN [Avant Windows Manager] & Kiba Dock
promises to provide a stable version very soon. There fore leaving this part for now.
Note: Docks will not work good until and unless Berly or Compiz ios installed in the Os.
Terminal Hack :* As you all will be seeing that my Terminal is transparent though its not.Its just take the wallpaper part it cover while if any application over ride or come under it it will not show it.
Though for Optimum transparency you need to Install Berly/Compiz. But the hack can be used though. To make transparent
without Berly follow the steps:
Open Terminal in the toolbar its having click on Edit tab. Then select Current Profile, a new window will open click on Effects tab. Under effects tab you will notice background option. Select Transparency and adjust the amount of transparent desktop you need.
For Berly/ Compiz related querie see this :A thread for Berly/Compiz discussion:*
Beryl/Compiz plugins discussion thread.
Log In Screens :* Log in screen is a screen where we enter the User Name and Password to enter the OS. While Windows also offer no password option but in Ubuntu and other Linux distross a User Account
cannot be created without putting password. So let see how to change the change the Log in Screen.
To do this 1'st install the GDM theme i.e the Log in Screen . To download the link.
Gnome*Look: GDM themes
Now as you have downloaded the GDM themes its time to install it .. To install it Click on
Main Menu/Start Button. Then point towards system then towards Administration then to Log In windows sice it is under Administration Section you will be prompted to enter the password 1'st before opening the program.
Then click on Local Tab click on Add , browse through the GDM theme and
add it then after you added it click it to set it to the current Log in windows
WoW we are done now !
Note the
widget, docks, Terminal hack , Log In windows can be used with any theme i.e OSX or Vista
In the End!
Summing it up all your Desktop should look like this atleast .. This is my current
Mac OSX looks .. Hope I had made it simple. Thanks for reading.
Note: For proper customization you need to read each and every word of the Guide .
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This guide and PDF are © to Dark Star and illegal reproduction is prohibited. Though distribution for help is allowed .
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Here is my desktop . After configuring yours post it here
That's all for now. Hope you all will like the hard work.
Keep the reply and suggestions coming. Any queries ask.
Ever your Sincere
Dark Star
The Ultimate Ubuntu Customization Guide!
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