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diff --git a/content/blog/2020-05-19-customizing-ubuntu.md b/content/blog/2020-05-19-customizing-ubuntu.md deleted file mode 100644 index ae4efb0..0000000 --- a/content/blog/2020-05-19-customizing-ubuntu.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,193 +0,0 @@ -+++ -date = 2020-05-19 -title = "A Beginner's Guide: Customizing Ubuntu" -description = "" -draft = false -+++ - -# More Information - -For inspiration on designing your \*nix computer, check out the -[r/unixporn](https://libredd.it/r/unixporn) subreddit! - -# Customizing Ubuntu - -New to Linux and want to add a personal touch to your machine? One of the best -perks of Linux is that it is **extremely** customizable. You can change the -styles of the windows, shell (status bars/docks), icons, fonts, terminals, and -more. - -In this post, I'm going to go through customization on Ubuntu 20.04 (GNOME) -since most new users tend to choose Ubuntu-based distros. If you've found a way -to install Arch with i3-gaps, I'm assuming you know how to find more advanced -tutorials out there on customizations. - -## Required Tools - -Ubuntu 20.04 ships with the default desktop environment -[Gnome](https://www.gnome.org/), which includes the handy `gnome-tweaks` tool to -quickly change designs. To install this, just open your terminal and enter the -following command: - -```sh -sudo apt install gnome-tweaks -``` - -After you've finished installing the tool, simply launch the Tweaks application, -and you'll be able to access the various customization options available by -default on Ubuntu. You might even like some of the pre-installed options. - -## GNOME Application Themes - -To change the themes applied to applications in GNOME, you will need to change -the Applications dropdown in the Appearance section of Tweaks. To add more -themes, you will have to find your preferred theme online and follow the steps -below to have it show up in the Tweaks tool. While you may find themes anywhere, -one of the most popular sites for GNOME themes is -[gnome-look.org](https://www.gnome-look.org/). This website contains themes for -applications, shells, icons, and cursors. - -Steps to import themes into Tweaks: - -1. Download the theme. -2. These files are usually compressed (.zip, .tar.gz, .tar.xz), so you will need - to extract the contents. This is easiest when opening the file explorer, - right-clicking the compressed file, and choosing "Extract here." -3. Move the theme folder to `/usr/share/themes/`. You can do so with the - following command: `sudo mv theme-folder/ /usr/share/themes/`. - - Icons and cursors will be moved to the `/usr/share/icons/` folder. - - Fonts will be moved to the `/usr/share/fonts/` folder Alternatively, you - can move them to the `/usr/share/fonts/opentype/` or - `/usr/share/fonts/opentype/` folders, if you have a specific font type. -4. Close tweaks if it is open. Re-open Tweaks and your new theme will be - available in the Applications dropdown in the Appearance section of Tweaks. - -If the theme is not showing up after you've moved it into the themes folder, you -may have uncompressed the folder into a sub-folder. You can check this by -entering the theme folder and listing the contents: - -```sh -cd /usr/share/themes/Mojave-Dark && ls -la -``` - -This is an example of what the contents of your theme folder should look like. -If you just see another folder there, you should move that folder up into the -`/usr/share/themes/` folder. - -```sh -cinnamon COPYING gnome-shell gtk-2.0 gtk-3.0 index.theme metacity-1 plank xfwm4 -``` - -## GNOME Shell Themes - -To change the appearance of the title bar, default dock, app menu, and other -parts of the GNOME shell, you'll need to install the [user -themes](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/19/user-themes/) extension on -[Gnome Extensions](https://extensions.gnome.org/). To be able to install -extensions, you will first need to install the browser extension that the -website instructs you to. See this screenshot for the blue box with a link to -the extension. - -After the browser extension is installed, you will need to install the native -host connector: - -```sh -sudo apt install chrome-gnome-shell -``` - -Finally, you can go the [user -themes](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/19/user-themes/) extension page -and click the installation button. This will enable the Shell option in Tweaks. -Now you can move shell themes to the `/usr/share/themes` directory, using the -same steps mentioned in the previous section, and enable the new theme in -Tweaks. - -## Icons & Cursors - -Icons and cursors are installed exactly the same way, so I'm grouping these -together in this post. Both of these items will need to follow the same process -as installing themes, except you will want to move your font folders to the -`/usr/share/icons/` directory instead. - -## Fonts - -Fonts are one of the overlooked parts of customization, but a good font can make -the whole screen look different. For example, I have installed the [IBM -Plex](https://github.com/IBM/plex/releases) fonts on my system. This follows the -same process as installing themes, except you will want to move your font -folders to the `/usr/share/fonts/` directory instead. - -## Terminal - -If you spend a lot of time typing commands, you know how important the style and -functionality of the terminal is. After spending a lot of time using the default -GNOME terminal with [unix -shell](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bash_(Unix_shell)>), I decided to try some -different options. I ended up choosing -[Terminator](https://terminator-gtk3.readthedocs.io/en/latest/) with -[zsh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_shell). - -Terminator is great if you need to open multiple terminals at one time by simply -right-clicking and splitting the screen into as many terminals as you want. -While this project hasn't been updated in a while, [it is coming under new -development](https://github.com/gnome-terminator/terminator/issues/1). However, -this terminal is great and I haven't experienced any errors yet. - -For the shell choice, I decided to choose zsh after trying it out on a fresh -Manjaro installation. Zsh is great if you like to change the themes of your -terminal, include icons, or add plugins. - -The desktop uses the -[zsh-autosuggestions](https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions) to -suggest past commands as you type. In addition, it suggests corrections if you -misspell a command. Lastly, it uses the `af-magic` theme, which adds dashed -lines between commands, moving the user@host tag to the right side of the -terminal, and changes the colors. There are plenty of plugins and themes to -choose from. Just figure out what you like and add it to your `~/.zshrc` file! - -### Steps to Replicate My Terminal - -To install zsh on Ubuntu, enter the following command into a terminal: - -```sh -sudo apt install zsh -``` - -Then, enter the next command to activate zsh: - -```sh -sudo chsh -s $(which zsh) $(whoami) -``` - -To install Terminator on Ubuntu: - -```sh -sudo apt install terminator -``` - -To install Oh My Zsh on Ubuntu: - -```sh -sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)" -``` - -To install zsh-autosuggestions via Oh My Zsh: - -```sh -git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions -``` - -Then, add the following plugin wording to your `~/.zshrc` file (the default -config usually has the `git` plugin activated, so just add any other plugins to -the parentheses separated by a space): - -```sh -nano ~/.zshrc -``` - -```sh -plugins=(git zsh-autosuggestions) -``` - -Finally, you need to log out of your computer and log back in so your user shell -can refresh. |