MRC/Tutorials/Customizing Ubuntu
GNOME Classic
Ubuntu 12.04 is shipped with Unity as default desktop environment. The ribbon menu with large icons on the left is a typical Unity feature, as is the way applications are started full screen and always have the menu bar at the top of your screen. Although Unity has supporters, some people don't like the way it works. For example, if multiple applications of the same type are opened (e.g., multiple terminals), their activation buttons are all stacked within the same icon on the left.
Fortunately, you can try and use other desktop environments within Ubuntu. GNOME Classic is such an alternative desktop environment. It was shipped with Ubuntu 10.04 by default, but got replaced by the Unity interface. However, there is a way to get it back in Ubuntu 12.04:
- Open a terminal (ctrl-alt-t)
- Run:
sudo apt-get install gnome-panel
- Log-out of your current Ubuntu session
- On the log-in screen, click the little icon located top-right of your name and select Gnome Classic, and log back in
You will see that the menu on the left is replaced by a menu bar at the top and a bar at the bottom. Try opening multiple terminal. Notice how each terminal can directly be accessed using the bar at the bottom of your screen.
Additional Drivers
Open the Additional Drivers app. You may have a green circuit board icon in the top right of your screen. If not, open a terminal and type:
jockey-gtk
Terminator
sudo apt-get install terminator
Terminal Colors
gedit ~/.bashrc
- Uncomment the following line:
#force_color_prompt=yes
by removing the # - save and exit. Now if you start a new terminal, you will have a colored prompt.