How to customize the Linux Mint looks

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How to customize the Linux Mint looks

1. Fully update Linux Mint - use the "Update Manager"

2. Enable your graphic card to run 3D desktop effects - you may need to install the video drivers

3. Customize Firefox to look like you want to - choose a new theme from here and install the theme by clicking on the "Add to Firefox" button (e.g. the "Vista Aero" theme can be installed from here)

4. Install the Emerald Theme Manager - search in the "Package Manager" for the “emerald” package to install it and its associated library "libemeraldengine0"; it will be available in the Mint Menu, in the "Preferences" category

5. Install the Emerald theme of your choice (e.g. download the "Who Needs Windows 7 ?" Emerald theme from here) - open the "Emerald Theme Manager" to import the theme: click on the "Import" button, browse to the location where you downloaded the theme, highlight it and press the "Open" button

6. To be able to see the new theme and the transparency in your window borders, hit "Alt+f2" and restart Emerald by typing this command: emerald --replace

7. Install Webilder to be able to automatically download and change your wallpapers - install it from source and then right-click on the GNOME panel, choose "Add to panel", and select "Webilder Webshots Applet"; if it is not in the list, then log off and log in again

8. Right click on the bottom panel and click on "Properties" - first make the "Size" 38 pixels and next click on "Background" and select the "solid color" option

9. Right click on the empty panel and press "Add to panel" and add "Window selector" that is all the way at the bottom of the list - this will allow you to switch between windows with a menu instead of buttons which take a lot more space

10. Right click again on the empty panel, click on "Add to panel" and add the "Main Menu" - this has all the menus compacted in one (if you don't like this menu then only install "Gnomenu" as explained below)

11. In the same way add is the "notification area" to see when programs are running and when there's an update.

12. Add the trashcan to the Desktop - hit Alt + F2 to get the run dialog box, type gconf-editor and browse down to the key apps \ nautilus \ desktop ; on the right side look for the entry called trash_icon_visible and check the box; you can also add from there other things to your desktop like computer and network.

13. Install Gnomenu, a consolidated menu for Gnome that has a similar look to the Windows menu - open the terminal and enter this command:

sudo apt-get install python python-xdg python-cairo python-gconf python-xlib deskbar-applet

Next click on this LINK to download the latest version and click on the downloaded file to open it with the package installer, click "Install" and wait until is finishes.

After it is installed, log out and then back in.

Right click on the remaining panel and choose "Add to panel". When the menu opens look for "Gnomenu" and add it to the panel.

Once you have it in your panel, right click on it and hit preferences to reveal all the settings and themes. Choose the glass theme or any other theme you like.

14. Download a new "Icon Set", like the one from this LINK and drag the file to the "Appearance Preference Box" to automatically install it - just right click on an empty area of the desktop, click "Change Desktop Background" and when it opens make sure you have "Theme" selected then drag the file to it

Comments
1 year ago	Thinker	Although this tutorial is not for my need but still this is a Nice tutorial for a new user. So I am promoting not only tutorial but also your helping spirit!
1 year ago	Alexio	It is all about choice, like the Look Changer from Zorin. What about A quick way to make Linux Mint look like Mac OS X?
1 year ago	blueXrider	Sorry, Bud...don't want to look like windoze
2 years ago	Xyie	This seems less like "how to customize" Mint and more "how to make Mint look like Win 7".

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How to customize the Linux Mint looks

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