A Linux Desktop GUI You'll Be Happy With

The screenshot below is my current Linux GNOME Desktop.  Regardless of which Linux Distribution you choose to use, this set up can be replicated on any Pentium 4 class PC/Laptop with at least 512 MB of RAM.
The changes I have made include using the Gtk Aurora Engine with Theme Aurora SOffice, Compiz-Fusion 3D (OpenGL 3D effects with supported 3D video card, e.g., Nvidia or ATI), a top panel only with a standard GNOME Menu Bar applet (Applications, Places, System), a GNOME Main applet (Computer), a GNOME Global-Menu applet, a notifications tray (right most), a Date-Time applet and a Force-Quit and a Minimize to Desktop applet at the left most and right most edge of the panel.

The bottom shows a (Apple Mac Quicksilver-like) GNOME-Do task manager using the Docky theme which hides when not in use.  The only Desktop Icons shown are the defaults which come with GNOME upon installation. (If your PC/Laptop doesn't support 3D compositing, you can still use GNOME-Do with the Docky Theme and set MetaCity Compositing from gconf-editor in Apps>MetaCity>General>, and put a check on 'composting_manager'.)

The GNOME Global Menu updates to reflect the menu of the focused window (the screen shows Desktop because I was taking a screenshot).  This is similar to how Apple configures their top panel.

This configuration is about as close as you come to being usable when compared to KDE or Apple/Windows environments.

I believe that the Linux Development Community at large will continue to refine Desktop usability and at present Linux has the best Desktop Environment when configured in this manner.

 

What do you think is the best Linux Desktop?  Talk Back!!

--Dietrich (Twitter: @dtschmitz)

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