spy beef Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Decided to set up XFCE on my SEGA Master System II (Raspberry Pi + Retro Pie) as a backup environment should something happen to the laptop again: I've also updated the theme on my HP laptop & worked out a nice XFCE based ATi power management menu: How do you get the task bar to look like Windows 7? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Majesticmerc MVC Posted May 29, 2014 MVC Share Posted May 29, 2014 How do you get the task bar to look like Windows 7? It's in the options for the XFCE Window Buttons panel widget. Open panel options, find the window buttons widget and go into the options (should be a wrench icon). Then untick the "Show Button Labels" option. You'll probably need to make the panel a bit bigger (about 32px) to make it look like windows 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spy beef Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 It's in the options for the XFCE Window Buttons panel widget. Open panel options, find the window buttons widget and go into the options (should be a wrench icon). Then untick the "Show Button Labels" option. You'll probably need to make the panel a bit bigger (about 32px) to make it look like windows 7. Thanks, but I found it was DockbarX. Here's mine: Aergan 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aergan Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Thanks, but I found it was DockbarX. Indeed it is. :) We used to be able to use a plugin called xfce4-taskbar-plugin, but apparently we're no longer allowed nice things. DockbarX is unfortunately not without its flaws (certain things wont pin) but modifying its XML config sorts out most issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deihmos Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 it looks like win 98 for me :D I think Ubuntu looks the best but it still does not look that great. All the others just look dated. That's one think I never understood about Linux distros but I guess that's what you get for free software. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffydemon Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I think Ubuntu looks the best but it still does not look that great. All the others just look dated. That's one think I never understood about Linux distros but I guess that's what you get for free software. The new flat look of KDE concept screens look fabulous, the beauty of linux is that you can mod it to look however you want it to look like. I have seen some beautiful linux desktop in this thread. simonlang 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlang Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 i think i have asked that often already, but will do so again: if linux with its various desktop environments looks bad, ok.... but what then looks good in your eyes? windows? oh please.... how old is their aero style now? 7 or 8 years, nevermind some icons are still from windows 95 times.... macos x? yep maybe they have put most time in a good style but current kde offers way more options and tweaks. i put it that way: no virtual desktops or not having the option to shade/roll up any window in 2014 is quite sad and absolutely not anything of a good desktop. kde's dolphin for sure is >>>>>> macos finder >> windows explorer and for the rest: i can move all window buttons to the left/right and can add / remove many of them the way i want. most linux are shipped with MUCH more styles and themes than windows or macos. and online you can find even more. i also dont like the dark ubuntu theme, i am not keen on unity and while i find gnome 3 interesting, its lacking some options for me. but at least i can chose. if i could build a linux distro i would make one where you have gnome 2, 3, kde and maybe xfce installed and add a little nice hint and a screen after frist boot where its explained that you can chose another desktop everytime before login. thats so much more the other os have to offer, and its for free. and given some tweaks, the desktop can look impressive. for me even a default lxde desktop looks better than the boring win 8. i had those tiles as a part of active desktop in win 98 already and even by then i did not like it. but even then, if you like you can make linux look like win xp or win 7 easily, also like macos. try to customize win or mac the way. either you will need to pay loads of money for some tools i can have free in linux, or you run out of ideas/time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggis Veteran Posted May 30, 2014 Veteran Share Posted May 30, 2014 The more i see XFCE the more i think about switching to it from gnome3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aergan Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I think Ubuntu looks the best but it still does not look that great. All the others just look dated. That's one think I never understood about Linux distros but I guess that's what you get for free software. Personally, I think stock Ubuntu looks quite awful due to the default font / dpi & anti-aliasing choices (the same can also be said for quite a few mainstream distributions though, just with Ubuntu they have to take it one step further). I have a difficult time working in terminal or using Unity without making significant changes to improve readability & presentation of text. Also, I find myself spending more time changing Unity's configuration at random intervals rather than actually using it for anything productive. The more i see XFCE the more i think about switching to it from gnome3 Visually it can look very pleasant without too much effort whilst also not being a distraction to getting stuff done - I like that a lot. I have my Windows based creature comforts; task bar (DockbarX), WinKey + arrows to move/snap windows around (keyboard key mappings in XFCE), WinKey + R Application finder/run, Steam "system tray" functionality / start minimised and pretty decent default Apple Wireless Keyboard support. I find it very straight forward to get things to work for me or as I want them to rather than spending huge amounts of time working on improvements. My only real bugbear with it is getting a decent icon set for it that uniformly looks consistent. In the end, I more or less gave up trying different sets and put some effort into filling in the blanks for Ubuntu-Mono-Light (e.g. Steam, Dropbox). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Norris Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 The more i see XFCE the more i think about switching to it from gnome3Just my opinion of course, but for me, between the two I find XFCE way more usable than Gnome 3.. Gnome 3 just feels like it should be on a tablet, made some bizarre design decisions with it. Visually it's nice, but usability took a big hit. XFCE's a little too lightweight for my tastes, but still. (I like a lot of bells and whistles, memory be damned.) but even then, if you like you can make linux look like win xp or win 7 easily, also like macos. try to customize win or mac the way. either you will need to pay loads of money for some tools i can have free in linux, or you run out of ideas/time.Not going to deny that you can customize Linux quite a bit.. but you can pretty much do the same in Windows too, not sure where you're getting that idea from. Virtual desktops, different file managers (even Dolphin..), different icons and themes, add various docks, even replace the shell if you want. Even in 8. Rolling up Windows? Had a manager in XP a decade ago that did that along with wobbly windows and all that nonsense, not that I ever found it useful, but *shrug* totally doable if that's your thing. Duffydemon and Aergan 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlang Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 Not going to deny that you can customize Linux quite a bit.. but you can pretty much do the same in Windows too, not sure where you're getting that idea from. Virtual desktops, different file managers (even Dolphin..), different icons and themes, add various docks, even replace the shell if you want. Even in 8. Rolling up Windows? Had a manager in XP a decade ago that did that along with wobbly windows and all that nonsense, not that I ever found it useful, but *shrug* totally doable if that's your thing. yes you can install several opensource / linux apps in windows. even kde. but what does tells this about windows? ooops :/ my main point was: in linux you have all this per default. worst case you have to add a ppa to your download sources to get a certain program but thats it. as a windows user for many many years the highest way to customize windows appeareance was with windowblinds. you had to pay for it after 30 days. i bet to get all the customize functions i named above for windows (name me an app where you can move the maximize/minimize buttons left or right and the same times adds that rollup option - i dont think there is one) you pay at least 100$ if not more because for every little aspect you need another piece of software, bet its good for the ram having to run 4 or 5 programs instead of havin all options like under linux. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Norris Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 yes you can install several opensource / linux apps in windows. even kde. but what does tells this about windows? ooops :/Oops? Being able to install software is a bad thing? Not sure what you're getting at there.. I thought having choices was good. Now it's not? my main point was: in linux you have all this per default. worst case you have to add a ppa to your download sources to get a certain program but thats it.Some people have funny misconceptions about what Linux is. It's the kernel and GNU toolchain. That's it. Hence, "GNU/Linux." Everything else is third party. That includes all that stuff on your desktop, including the desktop itself. In Linux, that's good. In Windows, that's bad? as a windows user for many many years the highest way to customize windows appeareance was with windowblinds. you had to pay for it after 30 days. bet its good for the ram having to run 4 or 5 programs instead of havin all options like under linux. Erm there's plenty of free ways to customize your desktop too. I'm using custom themes, custom icons, a custom launcher, occasionally use a custom file manager (although most of the time I just prefer Explorer), etc etc. Didn't cost a cent. And unless they added some sort of pixelated magic into the OS, all those bells and whistles cost you memory under Linux too ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Fahim S. MVC Posted May 30, 2014 MVC Share Posted May 30, 2014 The more i see XFCE the more i think about switching to it from gnome3 Totally with you on this. Spun up a Xubuntu VM a few weeks back and it has really grown on me. It is a very simple but intuitive interface, I find LXDE too light and Unity, Gnome and KDE just a little too heavy. There are some very nice themes available - I am using Siva Flat Dark, but my indicator plugin is not themed :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggis Veteran Posted May 31, 2014 Veteran Share Posted May 31, 2014 trying out xfce this took about 30 mins to do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindovermaster Moderator Posted May 31, 2014 Moderator Share Posted May 31, 2014 trying out xfce this took about 30 mins to do <snip> What theme is that, Haggis? simonlang 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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