Make Ubuntu 9.10 or 10.04 Look Like Mac (Snow Leopard)

If you are using Ubuntu 10.04 or 10.10 see the updated post here.

You can make your linux (Fedora 12, Ubuntu 9.10, 10.04 etc.) desktop look like Mac OSX. You can do this in four simple steps. The steps described above need that you already have Compiz Fusion and Emerald window decorator installed. You can achieve this even without the emerald (using standard gtk and metacity themes), installation of Compiz and Emerald is discussed here. But compiz would be needed to make use of Mac OS like dock (AWN). But remember it is only a mock up. If you really want to try Mac OS X Snow leopard  (not free) on Ubuntu, you can do so by using Virtual Box as explained here.

Before you follow the steps, make sure that you have fusion-icon running and that you have selected emerald as window decorator, order of the steps is not important.

Step 1: Download and install either this or this theme using the emerald theme manager.

Step 2: Install Mac4lin icons using gtk theme installer by clicking on the install icon as shown below.

When you are asked if you want to apply the installed theme, select yes.

Step 3: Install the Mac OS X dock (Avant Window Navigator) as described here.

Step 4: Download and install Leopard like background, click on the image below to download it.Now your linux desktop should have a Mac OSX like look, including all the icons.

Purists may continue to step 5 and also step 6.

Step 5: Go to Compiz settings manager, and then to Animation settings, in that go to Minimize Animation tab. Here change the zoom animation for minimize to Magic lamp to have magic lamp effect similar to OS X, you can play around with the duration setting to get the desired speed for minimization.

Step 6: Add Mac style Widgets using Screenlets

Now you should have your Ubuntu resembling Mac.

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