Installing themes, icons versus Dependencies, PPA's and "Desktop Environments."
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I am a many-decades Windows (DOS even! ) user, migrating to Linux after the ending of support for Windows 7.
After trying many installs of lightweight Linux distros, I have settled on LXLE, and now I want to make it look like Windows.
REASONS TO MAKE LINUX LOOK LIKE WINDOWS
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For years, as a hobby, I have refurbished and gifted machines to moms, kids, vets, churches, etc... and have an inventory of laptops and desktops which are functional but aging. The beauty of LXLE is that it was *specifically coded* to revitalize older machines with limited memory. I have loaded LXLE on several machines, both laptops and desktops, and they zip around as if new. This is, of course, before being burdened with any additional programs -- which is the crux of my question.
The reason is: to make donation machines *look* like Windows and thus present them with a familiar face to the user.
The initial install of any Linux distro is alien to casual (e.g. elderly, or occasional) users. Of course, I will introduce these machines as running Linux, but at least the main desktop will present a familiar face when switched on.
SELF-EDUCATION, NOT ENOUGH
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I have been trying to bring myself up to speed on how Linux works (and specifically, LXLE 18.04.3), but am still wondering how Desktop Environments (DE's) and PPA's work, vis-a-vis the downloads of the individual Windows-resembling theme and icon packages.
DESKTOP ENVIRONMENTS and PPAs and DEPENDENCIES, Oh My.
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Having gone to the online repositories where the theme and icon packages can be downloaded, some mention "required packages," for example:
"Required packages: gtk2-engines-murrine; gtk2-engines-pixbuf; compton."
I have read of downloading Cinnamon, KDE, Gnome Tweaks, GTK3 and GTK2, MATE and so forth. Very confusing for someone new to Linux.
WILL THIS PACKAGE DO THE TRICK WITH NO ADDITIONS?
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Looking at the contents of LXLE 18.04.3 on DistroWatch, I see that it already includes GTK3 and Openbox.
https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=lxle
Here is one theme-and-icon package that is very interesting to me, since it seems that it will require no additional loads, such as Gnome Tweak (am I wrong?) and can handle the new themes and icons natively:
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The original Win2-7 icon theme adjusted to work with GTK 3.18 +
https://github.com/B00merang-Artwork/Windows-7
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REQUESTED ASSISTANCE
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My request is for instruction on loading these themes, or similar Windows XP-7-resembling themes and icons, with the minimal addition of other packages, which I can only anticipate would slow down the system. Terminal cheat strings, or pointing me to a webpage with step-by-step instructions with terminal (cut-and-paste) cheat strings would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
KJ
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I think making them look like windows boxes is actually a disservice to the user. It gives the user the impression that they're going to act like windows. Things will work the same and they should expect the same things from them. Which actually leads to more user frustration when the Linux box doesn't behave like windows because it's linux.
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Wrong! This is a false assumption (and really, an excuse) by Linux users and interposed as an excuse not to render assistance.
Having familiar icons and themes encourages adoption and migration over to Linux. The alien and frankly, ugly, icons offered by Linux installs give the common and casual Windows user a basis to reject even trying out what's going on with the machine. I've been doing the refurbishing / re-gifting for over 15 years and am familiar with the mindset of those who receive these machines.
There is no obligation to offer assistance, of course, but you can be an emissary for Linux and ease the transition, or an obstacle to adoption, which seems to be the case quite often, and a reason why Bill Gates continues to make millions on an operating system which is full of bloatware, crippleware and spyware.
Please consider helping out.
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Thank you for that LXLE,
I have been running fresh installs of LXLE 18.04.3 32bit on three older testbeds (in fact, I'm using one now). So, out of the box, LXLE works excellently on older machines, some with just 1 Gig of RAM. My quest is to get the benefit of Linuxes' light and fast code, but with a friendly face for those who are thinking of migrating over from Windows.
One user, Ronald E. Franklin (aka LUBUNTUFAN) wrote an article, with the exactly the purpose and reasoning I am referring to:
"How to Make Lubuntu Look Like Windows XP
When Microsoft dropped support of Windows XP, our church made the decision to switch to Lubuntu Linux as the operating system (OS) for our computers.
We chose Lubuntu because its “look and feel” are close enough to Windows XP that our volunteer staff would have a relatively easy adjustment to the new OS. In fact, our goal was that when the changeover was made, our users would hardly notice the difference.
With that objective in mind, I was intrigued when I learned that it is possible to set up Lubuntu so that it looks to a casual user very much like WinXP.
That’s possible because the entire Linux family of operating systems, of which Lubuntu is a member, allows great flexibility in making the user interface look pretty much any way you want. This is done through the use of “themes” that define what users see and how they interact with the system, while preserving all the underlying functionality of the OS.
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LubuntuFan went on to another key factor: Linux is NOT Windows and is FAR more work-intensive. Windows-based software is engineered for ease of use. Want a program? Download it. Click on it and install it. Start using it.
Dependencies? PPA's? Desktop Environments? Unheard of and unneeded.
So *potential* switchers are confronted by a bewildering array of a whole new language, nomenclature and multi-stage processes to achieve something normally done with a point and click under Windows.
Thus, assuming you want to assist others to adopt Linux as their new OS, then understand that Windows users are, generally speaking, starting from zero knowledge.
Mr. Franklin nails it with the following:https://turbofuture.com/computers/How-To-Make-Lubuntu-Look-Like-Windows-XP"The Need for Step-By-Step Instructions
I decided to try out one of the XP-like themes that can be found on the
web. In doing so, I was immediately hit with one of the major problems
we Windows refugees often face when trying to get up to speed with any
of the various Linux distributions. The instructions provided on how to
install an app often assume a familiarity with Linux we don’t have, and
are therefore woefully inadequate for someone who’s entire experience
has been with Windows.It took a lot of research and a lot of hours for me to figure out how
to do what a Linux vet could probably do in minutes. For that reason, I
wanted to provide a step-by-step procedure for installing an XP theme."
There are quite a few websites and repositories with Windows-ish themes and icons, but precious few of them offer a step-by-step explanation of installing and configuring them. What's needed for us potential converts to Linux are step-by-step instructions. We *really* do appreciate those cut-and-paste terminal cheat strings.
Thanks for reading.
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Even simple instructions on how to deploy an openbox theme are appreciated.
I've followed instructions provided for 169812-Windows Classic.obt for Ubuntu, without any results in LXLE.
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