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The Ubuntu community has contributed 21986 ideas, 135057 comments, 2615221 votes
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Idea #105: Theme Manager, simple theme export/import

Written by snorpey the 28 Feb 08 at 17:42. Category: Look and Feel. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
If i want to share the theme (look and feel) of my desktop with someone else, i have to send many different files: wallpapers, gtk-engines, gtk-themes, metacity themes, iconpacks, screenlets and so on.

It's very difficult to reproduce my complete look and feel on another machine without wandering through many different configs and control panels.

There should be a way to easily import/export complete themes.


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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #105
Written by snorpey the 28 Feb 08 at 17:42.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #105 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!
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Solution #2: Install the gnome theme complete with one click
Written by nq6 the 3 Dec 08 at 00:29.
Install the gnome theme complete with one click. No configuration, no tutorials. Install a full subject is complex and requires time. This can be facilitated in a single operation.

We have to make everything much simpler. New users do not want complication in Ubuntu. They want simple solutions.

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Solution #3: Easy artwork download and install via gnome-look.org integration
Written by elias1884 the 19 Mar 09 at 23:52.
Let us fully integrate gnome-look.org into the Appearance application. Users should be able to view, choose and install multiple desktop themes from gnome-look.org.

Actually, they should also be able to rate artwork on there or even propose it as default for the next Release. Even an upload application would be nice. If gnome-look.org were openID compliant that would be an easy thing to do.

If anybody needs an idea how this could look like, you should have a look at KDE, which has this already integrated. A view usability improvements and there you go.
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Solution #4: Let the user choose a theme during installation
Written by twocool the 21 Mar 09 at 16:20.
Offer the user the choice of a few themes and color schemes during the installation.
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Solution #5: Use Epidermis for easy changing the entire look of the desktop
Written by Mads-hk the 21 Mar 09 at 18:45.
Epidermis changes the look of the desktop completely and it's very easy to download new "pigments" as they are called, through Epidermis, which would make et easier then integrating gnome-looks for the end-user
http://epidermis.tuxfamily.org/
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Solution #6: Style Change
Written by Basem the 22 Mar 09 at 08:59.
After installation, u can display a frame that has an image of two look and feel themes along with an apply button underneath each one. The two themes can be one dark and another light one.

Alternativly, during installation, the OS can download some theme from art.gnome in order to keep up with the latest trend.
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Solution #7: Include Emerald Theme Manager and Compiz panel icon by default
Written by jamesmcm the 22 Mar 09 at 12:21.
Just these two small changes would make it easier. then all that's need is a package manager style app for Gnome-look.
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Solution #8: Gnome-look.org Repository in Ubuntu
Written by slashdotaccount the 22 Mar 09 at 14:01.
Would be amazing to have a repository with the best icons, gtk and metacity themes from Gnome-look.org in a future release of Ubuntu. The themes could be choose by the users from time to time.
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Solution #9: Give The Appearence Panel A Built-In "Find New Themes" Browser
Written by diablo75 the 24 Jan 09 at 20:02.
I think there should be a button in the Appearences>Themes window that say something like, "Find More Themes Online" and instead of doing something like open up Gnomelook in Firefox, it will open up a new window that will act as a simple theme browser with pre-approved, 100% guaranteed to work, no-hassle-to-install themes. You just scroll down the list, click "Add Theme" or something like that, and it automatically downloads, installs and applies the theme.
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Solution #10: Launch Firefox and create extension/addon/etc that makes it easy install themes
Written by zooounds the 26 Jan 09 at 12:00.
Much like firefox extensions.
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Solution #11: Download artwork from the web
Written by walterboy17 the 9 Sep 09 at 08:27.
Add an option to desktop-preferences to download themes and wallpapers from sites like gnome-look.org and art.gnome.org. Just like KDE does.
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Solution #12: A more integrated theme manager
Written by Sman789 the 25 Sep 10 at 19:59.
What I propose is a theme manager which is split into five tabs: Themes, Main, Borders, Fonts and Icons. Main would be the equivalent of the current theme manager's first tab, where the look of the insides of windows can be configured, like the buttons and stuff, but not the titlebars or borders. Ubuntu would use Emerald by default (but with an Ambience theme for it, of course), so the window border settings could be altered through the Borders tab of the theme manager (which would basically be an Emerald control panel). Fonts and Icons tabs would be the same as they are now.

The really clever and handy bit, though, would be the Themes tab, which would allow people to package combinations of themes from all the above tabs, and install such packages which others have created. So you could download an Ubuntu theme which would be a combination of an "theme" as it is currently known in Ubuntu, an Emerald border, some icons and a font or two. This would mean that no configuring, command lining, or even changing program would needed to completely customize the system using the full power of all the available tools, and it would also mean that users would not have to worry about conflicting programs, or some not running at startup etc.

Wallpapers would not need to be included in those themes as it would probably make things more complicated if they were - users would not want their background changing each time they changed theme.

Propose your solution

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dbg wrote on the 28 Feb 08 at 17:55
I had already think about this too.
I read very often in some forums that people had seen nice screen shots, but not the knowledge or the time to search for the GTK-theme, the icon-theme, the background image, the window border, etc.
And also additional programs like AWN and Screenlets are often seen on screen shots, but a beginner does not know what he should searching for. So in the past some guys asked me where they can find stuff like this.
I also already had an idea how this could look like:
http://www.gtk-apps.org/content/show.php/Desktop+Designer?content=75860&PHPSESS ID=900bbd30d070d45471cb54a0b4254835

jamessnell wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 03:01
I think this idea would be a good addition to my Ubuntu Lifesaver idea. This would be an online profile where you can access your config files to use with fresh installations. May as well have some visual customization stuff that could be shared publicly as well.

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/350/

Jadd wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 15:53
So I'm not the only one to want this! I've already started to code a prototype:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=635269

Jadd wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 15:54
So I'm not the only one to want this! I've already started to code a prototype:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=635269

bradbrownjr wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 18:52
This would certainly assist the skinning community. Kind of like an Ubuntu StyleXP. Perhaps it could also copy existing Compiz Fusion settings, too.

rsepulvedacl wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 21:43
Such a good idea...

oedipuss wrote on the 1 Mar 08 at 14:01
This would be so great!
Add a few very different theme packs with the default hardy installation, and there you go.

It is also beneficial in cleaning up the preferences/administration menus.

ethana2 wrote on the 2 Mar 08 at 07:09
A complete combination of various types of themes should be called a scheme, and be just as easy to transfer, install, and use. I should be able to overhaul my whole look with two clicks, window theme, widget theme, sound theme, icon theme, everything, all in one file.

Voted up.

larryfroot wrote on the 4 Mar 08 at 11:46
A really good idea and one that will save time and effort, allowing me to just get on with stuff rather than recreating the look and feel that I love. Linux = choice, so lets make our choices as portable as possible, just so we don't re-invent the wheel twice.

ArtInvent wrote on the 5 Mar 08 at 19:42
I also find that theming is too complicated. I just want one switch that will pretty much exactly duplicate the theme - which to me ought to be exactly synonymous with 'look and feel.'

It's of course necessary to be able to modify each aspect of theming and combine aspects of different themes into a custom setting. Yet, once done, this should be exportable and importable as one meta-file or something, very very simple.

Bloodsplatter wrote on the 26 Apr 08 at 09:54
I expect this will end up in something like MS's msstyles files. At least that's someting they've done right :P

ombzzz wrote on the 9 May 08 at 03:35
i need this !

now i have an unbuntu 7.10 in one partition with a nice theme that took me a lot of work

then i installed ubuntu 8.04 in another partition ( to testing purposes )

but now i wan't to "import" the ubuntu 7.10 theme to 8.04 and i will have to remember all the tweaks to reproduce it

how nice would be a "export theme" and "import theme" button !!

wonderful idea

linhares wrote on the 8 Sep 08 at 21:14
Sorry, had not seen your idea, so posted a duplicate. It's great that your post has taken off!

--
Most people spend a lot of time configuring their desktops, changing wallpapers, appearance settings, icons, metacity themes, compiz settings, skydomes, and god knows what else. Some people make their systems look like a mac, some make it look like vista, some make it look unique.

I think it would be a significant leap if we could make a SINGLE (large) file container, with everything involved in the desktop settings, and send it to other users. The community could share beautifully tuned desktops, and we all could experiment with numerous desktops really rapidly.

If we improve productivity in this arena, then everyone on windows would see amazing desktops, all changeable, and that's an important step towards solving bug#1.

A large file could have all associated settings, parameters, needed files, and command sequences to configure the desktop in ONE click. Most newbies don't have the know how or the patience to learn how to really transform a desktop... we could give them a little instant gratification, as this is something that no mac or windows user can do. And wouldn't it be cool to quickly check out if that awesome desktop fits your machine?

tthurman wrote on the 10 Sep 08 at 17:37
I raised this on

http://blogs.gnome.org/tthurman/2008/09/10/is-there-really-no-way-to-do-this-al ready/

and in the comments there, someone pointed at

https://launchpad.net/epidermis

Does that fit, or are you looking for something else? It really should be integrated, it's true.

mmeiser wrote on the 11 Sep 08 at 04:13
Brilliant idea... integrating all the options that make up the appearance into one theme is a VERY tall order, but making it exportable and shareable with friends... well that's some brilliant brilliant stuff... the sort of big idea that would make ubuntu go viral... go social... get lots of visibility online.

linhares wrote on the 12 Sep 08 at 10:35
It's happening: https://launchpad.net/epidermis

linhares wrote on the 12 Sep 08 at 10:42
This is the project homepage: http://epidermis.tuxfamily.org/?q=about ...and you can contact the leader, David D Lowe, here https://launchpad.net/~flimm

snorpey wrote on the 12 Nov 08 at 13:40
wow... amazing to see my idea coming true...

Gannon8 wrote on the 15 Jan 09 at 19:09
This is a great idea and I am glad to see that it is in development. Hope to see it in the next few months :)

jekristiansen wrote on the 25 Jan 10 at 05:58
Hey, I have a suggestion on how the look and feel of Ubuntu could look in the future, not to distant i hope...
But i'm afraid that it will require a complete rework of the GUI
Take a look here, how does it look?
http://www.4shared.com/file/206213772/5fde7b97/Ubuntu_Mockup.html

sanousy.howari wrote on the 28 Sep 10 at 14:57
Yes it would be great, I think it will help so much transferring beautiful mock-ups over Gnome-look instead of the clumsy way like in my link here!

http://gnome-look.org/content/mycontent.php?PHPSESSID=d79a9f2e19b02d95d8cde0086 9a926e9


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