Cian Clarke - Web Design & Photography, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford

Make Ubuntu Pretty

Friday, 27 July 2007

Ubuntu out of box screenshot

So you've just installed ubuntu, and you've been presented with a big brown blob. Disappointed? I was. Despite being one of the best supported and most reliable distributions, it's not exactly pretty out of the box. What I aimed at doing is making things look a little more vista like (cringe!).

This guide applies to all Gnome desktop environment linux installs such as Debain, .....

So how do you get ubuntu from looking like it did on install, with it's dull murky brown theme to the aesthetically pleasing, uncluttered workspaces often seen on desktop screenshot websites.

Step 1: Panel Layout

The stock panel setup in ubuntu is less than ideal, especially from a recently migrated Windows user such as myself. I was used to having my start menu bottom left, with quick launch icons just beside. All open windows listed in the middle, then the system tray in the bottom right corner - and that's just how I configured my gnome panel!

First off, open Gaim messenger (On the top panel, Applications > Internet > Gaim). Don't close the Buddy List window that comes up.

Now, right click on some of the free space in the middle of the top panel and click "delete this panel".

Next, to the bottom panel. Right click on the "show desktop" icon far left, and untick "lock to panel. Repeat for the small separator beside this button, the workspace switcher on the far right and the trash icon in the right corner. All of the elements of the bottom panel are now free to be nudged around.

Right click on the free space to the middle of your panel, and click "Add to panel...".

Add "Clock" under accessories.
Add "Quit" under Desktop & Windows.
Add "Main Menu" and "Notification Area" under utilities.
Add 3 separators

Now that you've added everything, time to group things. I started by removing the trash icon, and also the workspace switcher.
Moving items is achieved by right clicking on the item, and clicking on "move" - then reposition with the mouse..

Move the ubuntu menu (ubuntu logo) to the far left. This will be your new start menu. Now, move one of your seperators (look like this: | ) after the ubuntu logo.
Next, move "Show Desktop" alongside.
After this would go any of the "quick launch" icons you want - you can drag applications from the menu, as well as from the desktop, and drop them wherever you want.
Next, move another seperator to mark the end of your quicklaunch.
Next comes the window list - the start of this is marked with two columns of six dots. You'll know it's the window list becauuse Gaim's "Buddy List" will be one of the tabs there.
To leave the maximum room for your window switcher, next move the power button icon to the furthest right position.
To the left of this goes the notification area, which is also marked by two columns of six dots. You'll know it's the notification area because the Gaim logo will be there.
Now move the clock alongside the notification area, and a seperator beside this.

Step 2: Panel Background

Panel properties Next up is the background colour of the panel - there are several different panel backgrounds available on www.gnome-look.org, but I used Vista-Panel. Download any one of these panel styles, and instide will be images suited as the background of your panel.

If you choose Vista-Panel, I went with Vista-Panel.png. Place your chosen image somewhere you'll remember, but out of the way - I made a folder where I'd keep all my wallpapers, icons and panel backgrounds.

To set the panel background colour, right click somewhere on the free space in the middle of your panel and select properties.

Under the "Background" tab select "Background image", and locate the image you saved earlier. Click "close" to save your changes.

Last step is to change the font colour of the panel to white.

(Instructions on how to).

The end result should look like so:

Step 3: Window Decorator

Step 4: Wallpaper

Now that the panel is looking better, the next step to finish it off is a wallpaper - chanigng this is much like in windows. Find something online for your screen resolution, this shouldn't be hard! Then right click on the desktop and select "change desktop background".