Can't find a perfect Desktop Environment.

[Debian_SuperUser]

Want to take a break from Sway, and maybe enjoy a DE for once. Except that I don't seem to like anything. Windows's UI is and almost always has been really good. Well designed (yes, even 8 for what it was) and well polished. In the GNU/Linux land, I feel like Gnome is one of the most polished DEs out there. I used to hate, because it felt quite unintuitive coming from Windows, but I soon got used to it and when I tried other DEs, I realized that everything kind of sucks and Gnome is probably one of the best and polished.

The thing about the Linux GNU/Linux world is customization. You can make Plasma look like Gnome and Gnome look like Plasma. With themes and other customizations that is.

Right now I am on KDE Plasma 6. Even besides the default theming that it supports, I feel like the core it the DE still feels unpolished. Like, that doesn't look like a good settings app or nice context menu. And the out-of-the-box looks like the icons just feel very unpolished and bland. I felt the same about Cinnamon (Linux Mint) and maybe MATE (I tried it a long time ago, I didn't like its UI), but at least Plasma by default kind of looks quite beautiful, just except the default icons, and sadly the inner core of the DE.

I just want something that nicely copies a Windows 11 theme, because its honestly great. I have tried a lot of Windows 11 themes for KDE, but they don't look very good, plus they don't have a good icon theme, and still not forgetting what the themes can't change, i.e, context menus and settings app and all.

Maybe I am looking to customize Gnome? Because I have seen some Gnome rices, and they look absolutely gorgeous and neat. Not sure which one to look for, and how to install it. Please recommend.

 

[Alexzee]

On gnome-look you can download any theme that you like to polish up your DE.

Browse Latest | https://www.gnome-look.org/browse/

Browse Latest | https://www.gnome-look.org/browse/ | A community for free and open source software and libre content

www.gnome-look.org

Someone in this thread was able to replicate Windows 11 in Gnome on their Manjaro install.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ManjaroLinux/comments/ob5axd/windows_11_look_in_gnome

Windows 11 dark:

windows-eleven-dark

new global theme with windows 11 Dark appearance, unlike the others available, this one has a script that automates most of the work,based on the win11OS theme by yeyushengfan258

www.gnome-look.org

The icons in Plasma can be changed in the Settings MGR.

I just so happened to be booted into the KDE Plasma DE on my Slackware system.

 

[Alexzee]

As far as installing themes or icons for the Gnome DE.
Just download the tar.bz and unpack it. Then with root privileges move the icons or themes.

For icons move them to /usr/share/icons and for themes move them to /usr/share/themes.
Then look for them in the system settings and select the one you want.

 

[Maximus_el]

wait actually theres colors other than \033[<#>m in linux?

 

[osprey]

Want to take a break from Sway, and maybe enjoy a DE for once. Except that I don't seem to like anything. Windows's UI is and almost always has been really good. Well designed (yes, even 8 for what it was) and well polished. In the GNU/Linux land, I feel like Gnome is one of the most polished DEs out there. I used to hate, because it felt quite unintuitive coming from Windows, but I soon got used to it and when I tried other DEs, I realized that everything kind of sucks and Gnome is probably one of the best and polished.

The thing about the Linux GNU/Linux world is customization. You can make Plasma look like Gnome and Gnome look like Plasma. With themes and other customizations that is.

Right now I am on KDE Plasma 6. Even besides the default theming that it supports, I feel like the core it the DE still feels unpolished. Like, that doesn't look like a good settings app or nice context menu. And the out-of-the-box looks like the icons just feel very unpolished and bland. I felt the same about Cinnamon (Linux Mint) and maybe MATE (I tried it a long time ago, I didn't like its UI), but at least Plasma by default kind of looks quite beautiful, just except the default icons, and sadly the inner core of the DE.

I just want something that nicely copies a Windows 11 theme, because its honestly great. I have tried a lot of Windows 11 themes for KDE, but they don't look very good, plus they don't have a good icon theme, and still not forgetting what the themes can't change, i.e, context menus and settings app and all.

Maybe I am looking to customize Gnome? Because I have seen some Gnome rices, and they look absolutely gorgeous and neat. Not sure which one to look for, and how to install it. Please recommend.

Are you drawn to something like this:

https://www.howtogeek.com/how-to-make-linux-look-like-windows-10/

 

[CaffeineAddict]

I just want something that nicely copies a Windows 11 theme

There is one that looks just like that:

https://www.linux.org/threads/how-about-deepin-environment-desktop.51227/

 

[f33dm3bits]

On gnome-look you can download any theme that you like to polish up your DE.

Browse Latest | https://www.gnome-look.org/browse/

Browse Latest | https://www.gnome-look.org/browse/ | A community for free and open source software and libre content

www.gnome-look.org

That's where I found the gnome theme I am currently using.

GitHub - vinceliuice/Graphite-gtk-theme: Graphite gtk theme

Graphite gtk theme. Contribute to vinceliuice/Graphite-gtk-theme development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

I like this theme because it reminds me more of a customized tiling window manager look that you see r/unixporn sometimes. I am using a different icon theme because the one I found that matched with it seeme to be missing icons for some applications.

 

[Debian_SuperUser]

Windows 11 dark:

Are you drawn to something like this:

I am not exactly looking to make Linux look like Windows. That will give me PTSD lmao. I have tried various Windows 11 themes and even went as far as trying Wubuntu, but they all suck. I don't want to make Linux look like Windows, rather just having a really good and polished looking Desktop environment.

There is one that looks just like that:

I don't use Deepin and might not switch to it, but the DE does look awesome, except those task bar icons man. Why the hell do all DEs (except Gnome) don't provide good looking icons?

That's where I found the gnome theme I am currently using.

If I want to go for that looks, I might just go Hyprland. Turning your Arch Linux rice into anime is a whole different fetish. I am looking for a normal DE which looks nice and commercial.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Why the hell do all DEs (except Gnome) don't provide good looking icons?

Because making high quality icons is an art and takes a skilled person, this type or work is normally not for free and is well paid.

 

[f33dm3bits]

If I want to go for that looks, I might just go Hyprland. Turning your Arch Linux rice into anime is a whole different fetish. I am looking for a normal DE which looks nice and commercial.

I did the the tiling window manager and customizing thing for a while. I got tired of that because your setup is never pefect and in the end you end up constantly trying to improve your setup instead of using that time to use your system for work and gaming. So I ended up switching to Gnome because it's a nice in between of a tiling window manager and a desktop environment, having a similar workflow to that of a tiling window manager and having a modern look without having to spend hours trying to perfect it. Now I just use my system instead of constantly trying to improve my configuration.

 

[MikeWalsh]

@f33dm3bits :-

I did the the tiling window manager and customizing thing for a while. I got tired of that because your setup is never pefect and in the end you end up constantly trying to improve your setup instead of using that time to use your system for work and gaming.

It's very much in the eye of the beholder.

I've been a graphic design freak all my life. I've never bothered with icon theme sets, 'cos I've never yet found a set I actually like.

I either hunt down icons that actually properly represent whatever app launcher I need them for, or - if I can't find what I want - I'll create 'em myself. I loathe the modern 'flat look', and always preferred the late XP/Vista/early Win 7 era from an appearance POV; '3D' icons, with shadows/highlights and clean, sharp, well-drawn lines, that do manage to look like what they're supposed to be.......instead of some vague, 'generic' interpretation where it's often anybody's guess what an icon is supposed to represent.

Mine don't 'match', at all. At present, my wildly eclectic icons collection numbers somewhere north of 900 items +. I couldn't care less whether or not anybody else likes them; they 'work' for me.....and I'm happy with them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Luckily, I got all this out of my system a few years back.....along with my own custom desktop backgrounds that give me MY 'perfect' layout, variants of which are used on all the Pups in my "kennels". Now I, too, use my machines for their intended purpose, instead of endlessly fussing, grumbling & nit-picking over how nothing's ever quite right for me.

That way lies paranoia....


Mike.

 

[Trenix25]

I feel your pain with regard to the icon quality in recent KDE versions. Debian 10 had better looking icons, but Debian 11 icons looks pathetic in KDE. The good news is you should be able to use whatever you want, including creating your own icons. You can install icon packs from previous or other versions of Linux and use them with KDE, and likely other DEs. You can edit the .desktop files in /usr/share/applications/ to tell KDE to use a different icon for a specific program, but this will be overwritten when you update so you should keep a backup of those or some kind of list. You will need to log out and back in again to get such changes to take effect.

Signed,

Matthew Campbell

 

[The Duck]

Chevy or Ford.
Apples or Oranges.

Which is best.
Who knows.
Who cares.

I can find something I dislike about all desktop environments.
I like simple and plain desktops nothing fancy or busy just simple.

Pick one you can work with I usually stay with the default DE.

Just my take.

 

[seattleflipper88]

Below are the two desktop environments that I usually install during the installation (i.e. Debian) for example however, if a distribution offers a pre-compiled spin.

1. XFCE
2.LXDE
3. LXQt

 

[a42]

You can try i3wm
https://i3wm.org/

 

[Darc Sceptor]

I like a desktop that first off is clean. I get sick when I see a desktop with every icon for every application AND document splattered over the totality of the desktop.

Second is artistry. My phone has a lovely set of icons that are very stylized with a 3D look and a color theme that is understated. What suprises me the most, is I have yet to find an application I do not have an icon for! But for a desktop I imagine it would be 10 times harder.

I like the design where the icons are in the center of the desktop with nice curved edges. But with Cinnamon the closest I get is I can move the icons to the center with the taskbar across the width of the screen. And I like an artsy touch to the looks. But until I can find what I like I just keep the default.

 

[Tolkem]

I just want something that nicely copies a Windows 11 theme

Install Windows 11.

Right now I am on KDE Plasma 6. Even besides the default theming that it supports, I feel like the core it the DE still feels unpolished.

The problem is that you're looking for something that isn't there. What distro are you on? Debian? Debian uses older plasma, 5.27 I believe, current version, plasma 6.2 looks great by default. I use Plasma, KDE Neon. Maybe you should try a different distro with a newer version of plasma. Nobara is quite nice; looks great and is really fast. https://nobaraproject.org/

 

[MikeWalsh]

@Darc Sceptor :-

I like a desktop that first off is clean. I get sick when I see a desktop with every icon for every application AND document splattered over the totality of the desktop.

Heh. Then you'd probably hate mine with a passion, if that's the case.

I LIKE a "busy" desktop. I like stuff going on; always something "happening".

I've had a love of graphic design for over 45 years.....ever since my 'A'-level Art/History of Art course in my late teens. I design my desktops pretty much from the ground up.....just taking an abstract background, then proceeding from there. But don't think I just throw 'em together. Oh, no.

I've spent years refining the "look"; little by little, bit by bit. Yes, I DO like plenty of launchers.....but they're carefully grouped together - in a way that makes sense to ME - and what you see on the desktop is but a fraction of what I usually have installed. I only put the most commonly-used stuff on there.....some of which are what I call "multi-launchers", one 'launcher' bringing up a YAD-powered GUI containing launchers for several more.

I came up with this method for one simple reason.....because I absolutely loathe digging through Menu after sub-Menu to find things.

Like I said, it wouldn't suit everyone; many are like yourself, and prefer a clean, quiet, restful desktop. But it works for me, and suits what I use my machines for.....

This is an example; where I currently am.....and is fairly representative of my entire Puppy 'kennels' (most of which are 'variations on a theme'). Remember; this is 'home-brewed', and is entirely the product of my own imagination and labour:-

Love it or loathe it, this is me.


Mike.

 

[Fanboi]

I'm happy with my DE. It's simple. If I wanted I could spruce it up with Picom, or switch over to KDE which can be themed to look stunning... just not enough so to make me waste my time. I'll attach some screenies and you tell me if that's not comparable to Windows in terms of modern-but-clean looks.

My relevent specs:
DE: XFCE4
GTK Theme: "Relax-GTK" / "Colourful Dark"
Icon Pack: "Relax-Dark" (with a few of my own substitutions which I've had to do regardless of icon packs)
WM Theme: Default (Kid you not)


If you want a modern WM and GTK combo, the Tokyo-Night-* series is pretty good. Sadly I wasn't completely happy with the way some programs overrode the window rounding so I went in search of something else. Here's the link (contains WM theme and GTK, IIRC) https://www.pling.com/s/XFCE/p/1681315

Anyway there's lot on Pling including actual Windows 11 icon packs. For realsies. Go to any www.[gnome|xfce|kde]-look.org site. Just search.



PS: @MikeWalsh : Your desktop... My eyes!!! Excellent rice, I'll give you that