Desktop Eye Candy

1.   Introduction
2.   Gnome Appearance
3.   QT Libraries
3.1   QT 3.x
3.2   QT 4.x
4.   Compiz
5.   Avant Window Navigator

Introduction

If you have ever seen Wayne and Waynetta Slob on Harry Enfield and Chums you may have seen the sketch in which Waynetta indicates that she does not like brown cake. Similarly I do not like a brown desktop, I like clean crisp desktop themes.

Here are some notes about theme options I have tried.

Gnome Appearance

Here are some useful tools to make theming your computer a little easier.

 sudo aptitude install gnome-splashscreen-manager startupmanager gcolor2

• HardyColors (how I have Hardy)
• UbuntuInBlue (how I had Gutsy)

QT Libraries

Although I use Gnome and prefer Gnome/GTK applications I do use a few QT based applications and adding the following libraries and plugins can help achieve an unified look and feel between the GTK and QT apps.

 sudo aptitude install qt3-qtconfig qt4-qtconfig polymer

QT 3.x

• Go to System -> Preferences -> Qt3 Configuration
• Select the 'Polymer' GUI Style.
• Select a 10 Point Size Sans Serif font.
• Tune the palette to match your Gnome theme.

QT 4.x

• Go to System -> Preferences -> Qt 4 Settings
• Select the 'Cleanlooks' GUI Style.
• Select a 10 Point Size Sans Serif font.
• Tune the palette to match your Gnome theme.

Compiz

Compiz is installed by default in Ubuntu 8.04 but adding the following package will provide advanced Compiz configuration.

 sudo aptitude install compizconfig-settings-manager

Avant Window Navigator

The avant-window-navigator is a MacOS X like panel for the GNOME Desktop. I remove the bottom panel and replace it with the Avant Window Navigator.

 sudo aptitude install avant-window-navigator

Once installed configure Avant Window Navigator to match your Gnome theme and drag the launchers you require on to it.

$Id: DesktopEyeCandy,v 1.9 2008/07/01 16:07:56 martin Exp $