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diff --git a/content/blog/2020-05-19-customizing-ubuntu.org b/content/blog/2020-05-19-customizing-ubuntu.org deleted file mode 100644 index 468edc8..0000000 --- a/content/blog/2020-05-19-customizing-ubuntu.org +++ /dev/null @@ -1,178 +0,0 @@ -#+title: Beginner's Guide: Customizing Ubuntu -#+date: 2020-05-19 -#+description: A beginner's guide to customizing the Ubuntu operating system. -#+filetags: :linux: - -* More Information -For inspiration on designing your *nix computer, check out the -[[https://libredd.it/r/unixporn][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 -#+caption: Gnome Tweaks -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20200519-customizing-ubuntu/gnome-tweaks-min.png]] - -Ubuntu 20.04 ships with the default desktop environment [[https://www.gnome.org/][Gnome]], which includes -the handy =gnome-tweaks= tool to quickly change designs. To install this, just -open your terminal and enter the following command: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install gnome-tweaks -#+end_src - -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 [[https://www.gnome-look.org/][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: - -#+begin_src sh -cd /usr/share/themes/Mojave-Dark && ls -la -#+end_src - -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. - -#+begin_src sh -cinnamon COPYING gnome-shell gtk-2.0 gtk-3.0 index.theme metacity-1 plank xfwm4 -#+end_src - -** 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 [[https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/19/user-themes/][user themes]] extension on -[[https://extensions.gnome.org/][Gnome Extensions]]. 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. - -#+caption: Gnome Extensions -[[https://img.cleberg.net/blog/20200519-customizing-ubuntu/gnome-extensions-min.png]] - -After the browser extension is installed, you will need to install the native -host connector: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install chrome-gnome-shell -#+end_src - -Finally, you can go the [[https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/19/user-themes/][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 [[https://github.com/IBM/plex/releases][IBM Plex]] -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 [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bash_(Unix_shell)][unix shell]], I decided to try some different options. I ended -up choosing [[https://terminator-gtk3.readthedocs.io/en/latest/][Terminator]] with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_shell][zsh]]. - -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, [[https://github.com/gnome-terminator/terminator/issues/1][it is coming under new -development]]. 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 [[https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions][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: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install zsh -#+end_src - -Then, enter the next command to activate zsh: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo chsh -s $(which zsh) $(whoami) -#+end_src - -To install Terminator on Ubuntu: - -#+begin_src sh -sudo apt install terminator -#+end_src - -To install Oh My Zsh on Ubuntu: - -#+begin_src sh -sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)" -#+end_src - -To install zsh-autosuggestions via Oh My Zsh: - -#+begin_src sh -git clone https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-autosuggestions ${ZSH_CUSTOM:-~/.oh-my-zsh/custom}/plugins/zsh-autosuggestions -#+end_src - -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): - -#+begin_src sh -nano ~/.zshrc -#+end_src - -#+begin_src sh -plugins=(git zsh-autosuggestions) -#+end_src - -Finally, you need to log out of your computer and log back in so your user shell -can refresh. |