Windows 7 and Linux Theme n900?

[lucas777]

Just wondering ive done a search but didnt find anything, just looking for a Windows 7 theme or even a nice Linux theme for the N900 anyone know of any? Cheers

[jaem]

I'm not entirely sure what you're asking... I believe there was a Vista-ish theme for the N8x0, so you might be able to modify some of the art from that if you're looking to create a Win7 one. I'm not sure what you mean by a "Linux theme", as that's kind of a contradiction in terms (tell me what "Linux" looks like... :P) - not to mention the N900 runs Linux, and therefore is by definition using a "Linux theme".
If, on the other hand, you mean a desktop theme using N900 graphics, then I'm sure there's one out there, but Google is Your Friend too.
Cheers

[dread123]

yeah would be interested in a windows 7 theme for my n900 too :p

cool idea..maybe someone will be able to build one?

[lucas777]

Sorry i mean like specific OS types like you have Ubuntu, Mac, MoonOS all those diffrent distros with diffrent looks just wondering if anyone has created any look alikes like icons and stuff for the n900.. Is it possible to change all the icons in the n900?

[jaem]

Sorry i mean like specific OS types like you have Ubuntu, Mac, MoonOS all those diffrent distros with diffrent looks just wondering if anyone has created any look alikes like icons and stuff for the n900.. Is it possible to change all the icons in the n900?
Oh, okay... Yes, the N900 is fully themeable, using the same standard methods as desktop distros. However, there are a lot of UI elements that are specific to Maemo, so you can't just drop in the Ubuntu Human theme, say, and have it work (which is to say that it wouldn't look right, not necessarily that the theming engine would have any issues with it). There are plenty of different Maemo-specific themes being made, though, and some of them come with different icon sets. (The maemo.org theme, for example, comes with a more cartoony set of icons.) It's primarily a matter of time, and whether someone with the necessary skills decides it's worth their time. I've done some basic theming work on Ubuntu/GNOME before, and it didn't seem terribly hard in terms of technical knowledge needed, however, to do it "properly" is probably not as easy as one might think. If you're feeling like trying it out, take a poke at the files in /usr/share/themes and /usr/share/icons, for starters. If you have a desktop Linux install somewhere, you may want to wet your feet on that, as it's easier and faster to fiddle with themes on. I think there are some good tutorials, too.
EDIT: I forgot to mention... to my knowledge, Maemo doesn't handle icon themes any differently than other distros, so you should be able to adapt a given icon theme to Maemo without too much work (AFAIK, anyway).

[lucas777]

Okies well im not comfortable with changing stuff like that so il let the experts do it il read up more about doing it though, doesnt hurt to try new things. Thanks for the neat reply

[lucas777]

But your saying its totally possible to have my n900 look exactly like Windows 7 or exactly like Ubuntu, given that the work is put into it

[cashclientel]

You could make it look very similar with a lot of work.

With no work you can rescale the windows 7 wall paper on your laptop then blue tooth it over and it will look similar.

[jaem]

But your saying its totally possible to have my n900 look exactly like Windows 7 or exactly like Ubuntu, given that the work is put into it

Exactly like? No, certainly not - not with themes alone. The interaction methods and desktop style of the N900 versus a desktop OS make that impossible as-is. However, it is certainly possible to make it look similar, or make it look like what you might imagine a Win7-inspired tablet would look like. Theming can change things like sizes, fonts, colours, shapes, and images, but not the basic structure of the UI. If you want your phone to actually look like it's running Win7, you're out of luck at the moment, and even coding a rough simulacrum would take a lot more effort than anyone is going to put in, to be honest.

[lucas777]

Id more like the OSX icons or Ubuntu icons but windows 7 does look fresh :) Yeah i understand what u mean, i dont mean exactly like but when u turn it on and look at it your like yeah this looks like windows 7.. that sort of look. Anyway il wait a few months see if anyone gets interest in it, i reakon someone will do a decent look alike later on

[lucas777]

Is there there an app were i can try making a basic theme myself or is alot of coding and stuff involved?

[jaem]

Is there there an app were i can try making a basic theme myself or is alot of coding and stuff involved?

Check the wiki - there should be some sort of theme packager application available, but I haven't tried it since Diablo/N810 (I'm not even sure if it's the same app). You should be able to get your hands dirty with it without too much effort, I think. There is no coding involved, but there is a configuration file that you will have to modify, which requires some technical competence. As I said, though, there should be some tutorials and documentation online, and you're better off fiddling with some GTK themes from http://gnome-look.org on a desktop machine first. If you've ever worked with something like CSS, then the GTK config files shouldn't be a problem. (They're not really that similar, but in terms of complexity, it seemed a decent example.)