Linux Tutorial : Change Ubuntu 10.04 buttons position

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Tutorial : Change Ubuntu Lucid Decoration button position​

So here I am with a quick tutorial inorder to get rid of the annoyance that Ubuntu button schema is giving to us :P Changing things to normal is very easy only if you know the right tool. Don't worry you don't need a internet connection inorder to download some tweak or plugin. Its all inbuilt the gnome desktop..

So lets get started. :

1. Press Alt + F2 and enter gconf-editor . Press Enter to open it .

2. The interface is reminiscent of the WIndows Regesitry editor ain'tit ? :P Anyway navigate to apps -> metacity -> general

3. Once done. Search for the button layout string under the general section.

Now this is where things get complicated :P So inorder to make things easy we segregate the work in two part.

a) To make the buttons appear to left in right order (Mac OSX style)

b) To make the buttons appear to left in right order (Windows style)

For a ) : - Change the buttons layout string to close,maximize,minimize:

For b ) : - Change the buttons layout string to :minimize,maximize,close

Choose the style you want and it will be appended once you are done with the settings ;)

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Default Style | Mac Style | Windows Style​
 
Re: Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) Discussion Thread

Cool, this info is all over the net for people like greenhorn to find :D

BTW you should have posted this in a separate thread for TE folks to find easily...

Also, I believe latest ubuntu-tweak package also makes this easy... and I am sure Mr. Mark Shuttleworth (the space dude) will have his minions provide an option to change it back with a few simple clicks by the time Beta2 is released :)
 
Re: Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) Discussion Thread

The thing is Windows and MacOS shove it down our throats then hold it down there... at least with Ubuntu you are FREE to modify it any way you like.

BTW even i totally dislike the button position and moved it back immediately, but it looks like they are going to do some good stuff with the empty space on the right (maybe more menus or whtever)... lets see what comes out for 10.10...

For example, I cant change the Windows boot splash but now that Ubuntu has plymouth I can what I like with it! (see my earlier posts with plymouth splash videos) :D
 
Re: Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) Discussion Thread

no, not really. As a non-programmer, What I can do with windows and linux are about the same. Apart from the cost and lack of viruses/spyware, there are no other significant pros
 
Re: Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) Discussion Thread

greenhorn said:
no, not really. As a non-programmer, What I can do with windows and linux are about the same. Apart from the cost and lack of viruses/spyware, there are no other significant pros
Click to expand...

wait, there is more!

you can use Ubuntu to store your p0rn collection. Its a excellent hideout since nobody else actually knows how to use linux. hence your secrets are safe in Linux:P
 
Re: Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) Discussion Thread

greenhorn said:
no, not really. As a non-programmer, What I can do with windows and linux are about the same. Apart from the cost and lack of viruses/spyware, there are no other significant pros
Click to expand...

Arent those "pros" (cost/viruses) enough to make the switch?

If not a programmer, at least you are a techie, right???? Sure there may not be other significant pros, in fact there are many negative points like hard-to-maintain/administer... but still, have a little self-respect man! :P

Sure, Windows is cool enough for regular non-techie people like my Aunt for whom I just bought a lappy with Win7 Home Premium and installed OpenOffice/Firefox etc... if she has problems with OpenOffice there is an option to buy a 3-license Office 2007 box for home use for under 3k :)

But under my roof, there will be no Windows any more... my mom has been pretty much unknowingly using Linux for the past few months - all she commented was "hey it looks a bit different" but her web browsing and chatting workflow is the same :D She is now demanding I hook up a webcam/voice chat so she can talk to my Sis every weekend, that will be a little bit of a challenge I'm working on - not due to linux but mainly to remotely get my Sister also up and running with webcam/voice chat on Win7 on her VAIO!
 
Re: Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) Discussion Thread

nah, I'm not going to windows yet ( though 7 is significantly better. I just blew 1L on 15 windows licences recently. It IS a vast improvement on XP, and why we bought 7? because we couldnt run garena on ubuntu. We even offered to port the damn thing to linux, but they wouldnt share the source). yes I'm a techie, but I've got no time to run an OS for the heck of it. I need something that 'Just Works'

I'll just be moving to another distro. like they say, there is a linux for everyone :)
 
Re: Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) Discussion Thread

vishalrao said:
Arent those "pros" (cost/viruses) enough to make the switch?
Click to expand...

Those were my biggest reasons for switching over to the Linux way of life.

When I first showed my ultra new look laptop with ubuntu to my friends, they all wanted me to install ubuntu on their machines too. In all I have converted 8 people. :P
The surprising thing with Lucid Lynx is that Skype recognizes my webcam and tells me that it can be used in a video call. Never before has ubuntu or skype done that. Only thing remains to be seen is whether it actually works. I'll report that soon enough.
 
Re: Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) Discussion Thread

Hi,

you do that or you can enter this command to revert back to old layout.

Code: 
$ gconftool-2 --set /apps/metacity/general/button_layout --type string "menu:minimize,maximize,close"

greenhorn said:
I'll just be moving to another distro. like they say, there is a linux for everyone :)
Click to expand...

If in market for new distro.My personnel suggestion is OpenSuse - it has most extensive control panel that you would barely need to touch cli.
 
Re: Tutoria : Change Ubuntu 10.04 buttons position

bah, if not Ubuntu then Fedora is the next best thing :D

phoenix844884 said:
When I first showed my ultra new look laptop with ubuntu to my friends, they all wanted me to install ubuntu on their machines too. In all I have converted 8 people. :P
Click to expand...

Yea, I wanted to do a demo for Pune TE folks during a meet, but buggers want to eat food and play bowling :D

greenhorn said:
I need something that 'Just Works'
Click to expand...

I don't believe there is such a thing.... you will find out when you spend more time with Windows :D

@greenhorn: this is why you will NEVER like ubuntu: DoctorMo's Blog Blog Archive You Need to be a Geek to Install Ubuntu :P
 
Re: Tutoria : Change Ubuntu 10.04 buttons position

Update: I just tried switching themes and looks like the evil Mr. Mark Shuttleworth has provided an option to click a button and revert the button positions... plus the theme itself is updated so the buttons dont look ugly when reverted :D

See:

revert.png


Now, who was that green eyed monster calling Mr. MS names (Steve Jobs and such foul stuff) and wanted to dump Ubuntu for ..... wait... WINDOWS?! :D
 
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