Linux GUI to rival Mac's OSX

well...to each their own but personally i'd take text mode over osx gui any day.

that said it really depends on your prefs (see my stinky DE/WM thread). it also depends on your hardware. whats your video card because that will change a lot.

but as i started telling you, linux has a lot of choices when it comes to a DE/WM. In my opinion the most logically laid out and effective (as well as somewhat familiar in regard to mac os) is Gnome. KDE is more similar to a Windows layout than anything. And then there are things in between like XFCE, Fluxbox (totally minimalistic), RatPoison (hardly more fancy than command prompt), and my personal favorite in regards to style, Enlightenment (E17). E17 is very light on the resources and looks freaken awesome once correctly configured. It does take getting used to however so its not for everyone.

That said.. since you are already playing with ubuntu (which uses Gnome) i say stick with it. Your first install is gonna be your test mule anyway. You can install other WMs on it through APT and play with all of them ands ee whcih one you like best.

Time for eyecandy! If your video card allows it, beryl-fusion via AIGLX is perhaps the best way to go. Its still under heavy development but is pretty stable and the features are pretty nice. I am sure you are familiar with "the cube". Don't forget to visit art.gnome.org and gnome-look.org to get custom icons, wallpapers, splash screens, window decorators, gtk themes, and even gtk engines to further tweak your look.

with the 7900 you are in good order to run beryl-fusion over aiglx. what you need to do now is

1) install ubuntu
2) install and run automatix (get everything, and your nvidia drivers)
3) install beryl-fusion and enable aiglx
4) install custom gnome theme + icons + wallpaper

and you should be set.

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/sh...?content=48348 OSX look for Emerald.

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/sh...?content=35753 OSX look for Metacity

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/sh...?content=31618 OSX Icons for Gnome

aw, come on. You're being too hard on yourself. Your DE/WM thread isn't that bad.

truthfully, i would pick linux because of all the options there are. i love fluxbox, enlightenment, and gnome. and i love the fact that i can change between them. this beats os x anyday.

but, the one thing linux doesnt have that os x has is the integration all of the programs work well and sync well. it just feels like a polished os. thats what most people, including myself, love about macs.

biggee....if you stick primarily to KDE or GTK2 or for that matter even Enlightenment Foundation programs on your system....aka don't use Konqueror for web browser and Evolution for email, you will get some sort of integration. Firefox + Thunderbird + Sunbird are pretty well integrated. Gnome also does a good job of connecting office to evolution. Not to mention you can always code some scripts that say "if A then do B" to further have the whole "integrated feel" ...not to mention gnome's Preferred Applications and management of mounted media (usb, mp3 player, scanner, cds, dvds) where you can launch a given app when a certain type of media is mounted. note that on osx that integration you speak of also only extends to generic apple apps, any 3rd party apps are usually on their own.