The Linux Thread

[altus 537]

So you are saying they have ripped off other interfaces too, got it.

The eternal problem for Linux GUIs is if they do something innovative people say "that's too different, Windows/Mac users will just get confused by that" and if they try to make a similar GUI the same people claim "they are just copying Windows/Mac".

[AlexAtkin 10]

Too true.

 

Personally I like how KDE inherits enough from Windows without being a direct copy. I use a Windows 7 theme on top of that, despite the fact I have spent more time using Linux than I have Windows 7, I made the switch to Linux from Windows XP (although I still have a dual-boot to Windows 7 for games and Windows 8 on my laptop).

 

My point being, there is nothing wrong with liking specific aspects of any OS. The beauty of Linux is the fact you CAN take your favourite aspects from any OS and slap them on there.

 

At the end of the day, its pretty hard to say for sure exactly which OS had which feature first anyway. I came from Atari ST and Amiga before PC and arguably both of those were vastly superior to Windows at the time, particularly for their limited hardware. Every modern OS has inherited a lot from much older OS/Window Managers its just most people are too ignorant of the past to realise it.

Edited April 9, 2013 by AlexAtkin

[swarfendor437 14]

I've been a bit slow here! I had better warn DeathAxe and stereolab, I am thinking of releasing AngryDog on you two!

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9696544&postcount=1

[AngryDog 10]

LOL. And you wouldnt like me when I'm angry

[stereolab 10]

Reached a 'point' with Xubuntu here...

 

Its font rendering on the web again.

 

When I had the MS Truetype fonts installed EVERY page was screwed up - ugly squashed fonts were being used for everything... so I removed that and things are good for most sites, its just the odd ones like HSBC Internet Banking, where it looks completely terrible. It think its using the right fonts, but they are really badly rendered... something to do with https maybe? (guessing here)

 

Also - it doesn't detect my Android phone at all - although I think I can download an app from the playstore to get it to act as a mass storage device.

[swarfendor437 14]

From: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=225721&p=1325415#post1325415

 

Re: Font size in Xubuntu

Solved!

problem is that when you change font size in user preferences it doesn't save dpi with it

solution is to edit:

 

 ~/.config/xfce4/Xft.xrdb

 

and add following line somewhere at the end:

 

Xft.dpi: 96

[stereolab 10]

Cheers will have a look.

[DeathAxe 10]

I have no problem with people making and using themes etc, that has been done for years. But the fact that they are packing the OS with the default theme being a windows 7 rip-off just reeks. Default themes should be unique to the OS, and be an original design.

 

It just comes across as a lack of effort, so makes one wonder if the rest of the distro is just as bad.

[swarfendor437 14]

I have no problem with people making and using themes etc, that has been done for years. But the fact that they are packing the OS with the default theme being a windows 7 rip-off just reeks. Default themes should be unique to the OS, and be an original design.

 

It just comes across as a lack of effort, so makes one wonder if the rest of the distro is just as bad.

 

Well there is only one way to find out!

 

For information you could put Gnomenu (which was a separate project - Zorin put it all together - just like you could! ) on any Linux distro (even Ubuntu with Unity - and you can choose whatever menu appearance you like!

 

http://www.upubuntu.com/2012/03/how-to-add-start-menu-with-unity.html

 

You also obviously did not watch the independent reviews of Zorin - for a variety of more see here:

 

http://www.zorin-os.com/reviews.html

 

If you want pure 'reek' then just install Win 2-7!

Edited April 11, 2013 by swarfendor43

[DeathAxe 10]

Well this isn't the topic to be stating which is better (windows is always a clear winner for me personally).

 

Yes you can choose, that is fine. But the look they are giving their os and what they are selling the look as, is a bad rip off of the windows 7 which really just tells me that they have no skills beyond just copying other people's work.

 

It is a bad image is all I am saying. It just brings down the whole linux community, making linux look like a rip off of another product (which it is not of course).

[swarfendor437 14]

If you want pure 'reek' then just install Win 2-7!

 

Well this isn't the topic to be stating which is better (windows is always a clear winner for me personally).

 

If I caused confusion it was not knocking Windows 7 - my reference there was to this:

 

http://www.zoringroup.com/forum/download/file.php?id=1041&mode=view

 

which is a theme from 'rapidshare'!

 

And you are missing the point - Linux in Joe Bloggs eyes = geeks - and true there are plenty. The whole idea behind Zorin is to ease the transition into a new Operating System - not to make a poor rip off! Once a new user becomes familiar, then they can change to Gnome or whatever - or even choose a different Distro! For me there are only 3:

 

1. Ultimate Edition

2. PearLinux

3. Zorin

 

Preferred DE - Gnome (3 is a let-down compared to 2)

Preferred Dock - Cairo-Dock with OpenGL

 

Footnote: There has been interest in Zorin by a couple of schools who run 'out-of-hours' computer clubs - but their School Governing Body demands that anything other than Windows 7 should have the same interface - figure that one out!

Edited April 11, 2013 by swarfendor43

[stereolab 10]

I think the problem is that Pear and Zorin are obviously trying so hard to look like Windows and OSX but failing, that the effect is to make them less attractive to 'switchers'.

 

Surely the point of switching to a new OS isn't just make it look like a bad copy of another one?