ubuntu, dapper, osx, theme

Ultimate Ubuntu Dapper Look Like OSX

There are so many people try to imitate Mac OSX Tiger’s look with their current operating system for their Linux or Windows. Ubuntu Dapper 6.06 uses Gnome as its desktop environment. Ubuntu Dapper desktop environment offers a wide variety of choices when it comes to cosmetics; you can make it look like practically anything. In its default condition, Ubuntu Dapper is highly usable, but perhaps a little bland. If you've always admired the Mac OSX Tiger desktop theme and layout but aren't ready to drop a load of cash on an Apple machine (or if you want to stick with free software), this article will show you how to make Ubuntu Dapper look and feel more like OSX, with some limitations.

Here are several steps toward to make your Ubuntu Dapper look and feel like Mac OSX:

- Changing themes and icons

- Metacity button position

- Wallpaper

- Desktop icons

- Fonts

- Gnome panel customizing

Changing themes and icons

First, download T-ish for Clearlooks for window theme and control, Humanoid-OSX window border, and OSX Iconset. You need these files to change your default Ubuntu Dapper windows theme and control, window border, and icon set.

After you have downloaded these packages please do these following steps:

- Go to "System -> Preferences -> Theme". System menu can be found at the left upper corner of your screen.

- Select "Install Theme…" and browse to the folder where you just downloaded packages above.

- Select T-ish for Clearlooks package and continue. Now the theme manager installs the theme files so that they can be used.

- Replicate the equivalent actions to the Humanoid-OSX and OSX iconset package.

- Select T-ish from theme list.

- Select Theme Details. Select Tish for Controls, Humanoid-OSX for Windows Border, OSX for Icons and click "Close". Now you should have a completely new theme with new icons.

Metacity button position

You can change metacity window button position (minimize,maximize, close) from the right position as Ubuntu Dapper defaulting position to the left position similar to window of OSX

- Go to "Applications -> System Tools -> Configuration Editor" or using the "run program" action or a terminal, start gconf by typing: "gconf-editor" (without quote) and hitting enter. This program is a bit like the registry editor for windows.

- In the tree on the left you require to go to "/apps/metacity/general/". There is then a key in the right panel that called "button_layout".

- edit this key so that it reads: "menu:minimize,maximize,close" to "close,minimize,maximize:menu" or "close,maximize,minimize:menu". Feel free to make your own choice.

Wallpaper

You can change Ubuntu’s wallpaper by clicking right mouse button on your desktop and selecting "Change Desktop Background" from the pop-up menu. Now you should check the background selector. You can add new wallpapers to the list simply by clicking "Add wallpaper" button and browsing to the folder where you keep your wallpaper images. You can go to deviantART to download a lot of wallpapers.
http://www.deviantart.com/

Fonts

Gnome panel customizing

Gnome panels are those grey things on the top and the bottom of your screen. Panels can contain menus, taskbars, clock, application launchers etc.

Bottom Panel

There are many options to customize your Gnome panel:

1. Native bottom panel.

This panel contains only application launchers and do not need install another application.

- The first step is to remove all the other elements from the panel. In default ubuntu installation there are Recycle bin, Taskbar, desktop switcher and show desktop -button. These are added later to the top panel so don't worry. You won't lose them forever! You can remove these elements by clicking right mouse-button on them and selecting "Remove from panel" from pop-up menu.

- Now you have gray panel. Next click right button of mouse on the empty panel and select "Properties". Change the Size of the panel to 50 and remove all ticks form the selectionboxes.

- Then change to Background tab and select "Solid color". Change the Color to white, if it’s not already, and move "Style" slider like in this screenshot. Now the panel is ready. Next we presently add icons (application launchers) to it. You can simply drag and drop the icons from the desktop. Another way is to click right mouse-button on the panel and select "Add to panel…". Select "Custom application launcher" from the window and fill Name, Command and select some beatiful icon. 2. KXDocker on Ubuntu Dapper

Top panel

You can change your Ubuntu Dapper top panel's background. To change top panel's background by clicking right mouse button on your top panel and selecting "Properties" from the pop-up menu. Then select "Background" and choose your background image.