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Linux Eyecandy – Making your Desktop Beautiful – Part 2

 Linux  No Responses »
Apr 162008
 

Okay, so in Part 1, I showed you how to install a gtk theme for gnome. This tutorial will show you how to install icon sets and desktop effects. Once again, this tutorial is based on Ubuntu 7.10 and uses apt-get and synaptic package manager, so if you use something else, this may not work for you.

Step 1 – Download and Install Compiz, Emerald, and plugins

Open up a terminal and type the following:

sudo apt-get install compiz compiz-settings-manager emerald gnome-compiz-manager compiz-plugins compiz-fusion-plugins-main compiz-fusion-plugins-extra

Step 2 – Customize your Desktop Effects

Goto System->Preferences->Advanced Desktop Effects

From this window you can check which effects you want active. Some of these are simply a waste of resources, but they look nice. I tend to just use the Desktop Cube and the Shift Switcher because they actually add some function as well as looking beautiful! The Wobbly Windows effect is cool looking too, but I stopped using it after a while.

Step 3 – Download and Install Icon Sets

Goto www.gnome-look.org and click on the “Icons” link in the left hand navigation bar. Click on the “Highest Rated” tab at the top. Lets use the “black-white 2 gloss” Icon Set as the example. Click on the theme and then click “Download” at the bottom. You will notice several options for download…I use the one “black-white 2 gloss big” for my icon set. Once it is downloaded, go to your Appearance Manager by clicking System->Preferences->Appearance. From the “Theme” tab, click on “Install” towards the bottom. Now select the icon set that you downloaded to install it. Once the icon set is installed, you can select it by clicking on the “Customize” button and going to the “Icons” tab.

The beauty of Linux is that I can look at my desktop and not have anything that I don’t like. Everything that is there shows up because I want it to. A lot of times with Windows, I have wound up frustrated because there is something that doesn’t quite look right. Anyways, I sure hope that this helps some people and as always, feel free to post any questions or comments. My next post in this series will cover Fonts and Conky (a highly customizable system info panel). See you then!

Tom

 Posted by at 10:16 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Bash Script Front End for nmap

 Linux  3 Responses »
Apr 162008
 

I was tinkering around with an idea for a bash script that would incorporate the most common nmap scans into one front end menu system. This script obviously requires bash and nmap be installed. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them.

The Script:
Click Here To Download

 Posted by at 7:44 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Linux Eyecandy – Making your Desktop Beautiful! Part 1

 Linux  3 Responses »
Apr 162008
 

A screenshot of my Desktop

Anyone who has used Linux for a considerable period of time will tell you that one of the great characteristics of Linux is that it is extremely customizable. The above image is a screenshot of my current desktop. The distro running is Ubuntu 7.10. I have always been a fan of simple, clean desktops that feature functionality over eyecandy. However, lately I have been experimenting with a combination of aesthetics and function.

I would like to state that the eyecandy that is available for Linux is by no means THE reason to use Linux or to switch to Linux. It is however, one of the many great features that are offered. And also, just a quick note to all the die hard Windows folk out there that want to argue that their Windows XP machine is customizable too, please bear in mind what we have each paid for our operating systems.

That being said, this tutorial will show you step by step how to trick out your Ubuntu Desktop. These instructions use apt-get and synaptic package manager, so if you use something else, please adjust any commands to reflect your package manager.

Step 1 – GTK Themes

If you use Linux and have never been to www.gnome-look.org or www.kde-look.org then please stop reading this post and go there right now! Gnome-look/kde-look are dedicated to providing gtk themes, fonts, wallpapers, compiz/beryl themes, emerald themes, and much more to the users of these great window managers. Lets assume that you are using gnome. Goto www.gnome-look.org and click on the “GTK 2.x” link in the left hand navigation bar. Then click on the “Highest Rated” tab at the top. Scroll through these until you find one that you like. Let’s use the “Overglossed” theme as an example. Click on the theme and scroll down to the bottom and click “Download”. If there is more than one “Download” option, click on the top one. Save the file to your desktop and then open your “Appearance” manager by clicking SYSTEM->PREFERENCES->Appearance. From the “Theme” tab, click on the “Install” button towards the bottom. Now find the file that you downloaded to your desktop and choose it. The new theme should now be installed!

My next post will cover Icon sets and Desktop Effects. I hope this helps!

Tom

 Posted by at 3:44 pm  Tagged with: , , , , ,
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