Eventhough there is a number of good quality themes available for Ubuntu through various sites like gnome-look or deviantart, it is still a difficult job to find full set themes which include gdm themes(login window theme), wallapaper, metacity themes, icon set etc. But there is an option to download it from PPA launchpad repo itself, which is always the safer bet. Special thanks to the Zgegblog guys for contributing these out of the world themes for Ubuntu users.
- Take a look at the previews of some of the themes they have made.
These are previews of some of the themes i liked. There are tens of other themes as well. Choose the one that meets your taste.
Adding GPG Key
- Goto Applications > Accessories > Terminal and simply do
sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 0x1781bd45c4c3275a34bb6aec6e871c4a881574de
Adding Third Party Repo
- You will have to add third party PPA launchpad repo to your synaptic package manager to download these themes.
- To Add the PPA launchpad repo, Goto System->Administration->Software Sources, goto the Third- Party Software tab and Click on ADD.
- Copy and paste the new PPA Launchpad repo address, corresponding to the version of Ubuntu you are using. Given below are the PPA for Ubuntu jaunty, Intrepid and Hardy respectively.
For Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/bisigi/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/bisigi/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
For Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/bisigi/ppa/ubuntu intrepid main deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/bisigi/ppa/ubuntu intrepid main
For Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/bisigi/ppa/ubuntu hardy main deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/bisigi/ppa/ubuntu hardy main
Installation
- After adding new repo and authenticating steps, Reload the Synaptic Package Manager.
- To download and install all the themes available, simply mark and install the package zgegblog-themes. All theme packages will be installed by then.
OR simply type the following in terminal.
sudo apt-get install zgegblog-themes
- But if you have bandwidth limitations and dont want to install all the themes, there is a small workaround. This is not probably the ideal thing to do. But it definitely works ;-).
- Goto Synaptic Package Manager and right click on zgegblog-themes and select the properties option.
- In the Dependencies tab, you will have the list of individual themes(packages) available for download. For example, search for infinity-theme in Synaptic. If you know a better way to do this, please share :-)
- Almost all themes are exceptionally good, while wild-shine-theme, balanzan theme and bamboo-zen-theme are definitely the best. It is worth a look. Give it a try.
- Now you may also want to check out this nice collection of 20 GDM themes you probably haven't seen before.
Update: A new darkish theme is included recently and it is aptly named showtime. Just do a sudo apt-get install showtime-theme. This is a must for all who love dark themes(me being one, i especially love the new updated wallpaper)
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I am glad I ran across your site! Really appreciate the info,have just changed my login theme,and am downloading others! Thanks again.
You are welcome buddy, may be you should also check this collection of 20 GDM themes you probably haven't seen before. Have fun :-)
cool thankyou....
Great Job! You are the man! No one else is the man!
I have been looking for something like this since i started using Ubuntu a couple years ago. Great Work!
Now this is neat! I am quite new to Ubuntu, but I love the way my desktopp is not only fast and efficient, but looks great too!
I don't suppose you can point us at any better screensavers than the included ones?
Nick
horrible themes!!! we need something different from m$ vista...
When will this PPA have an option for 9.10?
Not yet, but soon hopefully. :-)
I don't have an internet at home. Do anyone have a way to install these themes without an internet connection?
Thanks.
They are just deb files, when you have an Internet connection go and download the .deb files you want,
http://ppa.launchpad.net/bisigi/ppa/ubuntu/pool/main/
once you are back on your computer you can install it from a console by running:
sudo dpkg -i filename.deb
you can also navigate to the file and open it with gdebi and that will give you the option to install it.
The debs are in the PPA: http://ppa.launchpad.net/bisigi/ppa/ubuntu/pool/main/
I just installed the new themes on my laptop running Ubuntu 9.04 and they look great!
Among the default themes available in Ubuntu, 50% are ugly like hell. The "High Contrast" theme must be designed by a mad man with no artistic taste. Even a 5 years old kid will do better. For some strange reason, these ugly themes are still available in Ubuntu.
Ubuntu: send your art team for some training or hire someone who know theme design like the ones shown in zgegblog-themes !
The "high contrast" theme is a theme that was not designed to be beautiful but functional. There are people who cannot see properly and a theme with high contrasts allow these people to use the computer where as otherwise they couldn't.
Besides that I agree that most default themes are not very pretty.
Sorry about that, have corrected it :-)
You have a typo in your command :
sudo apt-get install zgegbolg-themes
Should be :
sudo apt-get install zgegblog-themes
Thank you for making me notice the typo. I have corrected it :-)
You've misstyped the command for apt. It's "zgegblog" not "zgegbolg" :)
Thank you for making me notice. I have corrected it. :-)
Will this work with Xubuntu 9.04 ? Will Xfce work with the themes?
I am not sure. These themes are made for gnome. And i don't think they will work with xfce. anybody ?
Actually, I'm currently running Compiz on top of XFCE in KUBUNTU and I have no problems with bits and pieces of these packages what so ever. Granted, its not going to be a simple click like it would be in gnome, but all these parts as individual components work out just fine.
I found all the backgrounds installed in /usr/share/backgrounds. And all of the emerald themes can be viewed in emerald-theme-manager. Also, because of there are packages that start with gtk-... were also viewable in the Appearance setting. I didn't try to use it because I use Compiz, but the packages were there to be tried.
All in all, to the original poster of this question: you can use this just fine. I do ;)
mike@anonymous:~$ sudo apt-get install zgegbolg-themes
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package zgegbolg-themes
mike@anonymous:~$
sorry about that, there was lil typo, it should be
sudo apt-get install zgegblog-themes
there was a little typo, i have corrected it :-)
it's "blog" not "bolg"
Thank you for making me notice. I have corrected it. Thank you :-)
The command is misspelled it should say: sudo apt-get install zgegblog-themes.
i have corrected it. thank you :-)
Hi,
I have installed the themes in 9.04. But how do i get them working ? I do not see any option to change my current theme. (desktop->right-click->change-desktop-background-themes)
Can you please help me with that ?
You need to go to System -> Preferences -> Appearance to set Gnome themes. You were trying to change the desktop background...
system --> preferences ---> appearance to change theme
Sorry to let you know that there is no one click option to apply these themes. You have to manually select GDM login theme and Desktop background.
To choose login window goto System > Administration > Login Window and select tab Local. Now i assume you know how to change the desktop background. When you download a theme the background picture is already in place. Simply right click on desktop > change desktop background.
To change other aspects like icons, window border etc, simply go to change desktop back ground > theme and select the theme you just downloaded.
Feel free to ask anything further.
Cheers