Here are some links to a few Ubuntu Linux Themes that you can try to install in your Ubuntu desktop or any Gnome-based Linux distribution for that matter.

• Collection of 50 Best Looking Linux Gnome/Ubuntu Themes
• Eye Candy for your Gnome Desktop
• Ubuntu Theme and Icons Download

Enjoy y’all…

First of all, I have switched job since the last time I posted on upgrading Ubuntu 7.10 to 8.04.  Sadly, that means my laptop has to be returned to my previous employer and there I have to say goodbye to my nicely set up Ubuntu 8.04.

Now that Ubuntu 8.10 has arrived, so that I only have the option to clean install the new Ubuntu release.  But which clean installation process to select?

There are a few ways that I can do to install Ubuntu 8.10:

1. Dual-boot my T61 laptop with Ubuntu
2. Use Sun xVM and Install Ubuntu as a virtual machine, or
3. Use Wubi installer to install Ubuntu within Vista

First I try to install it under Sun xVM, but the performance of the desktop is impaired due to the way xVM does things.  I can’t install the native graphics driver, so all the cool eye candy won’t be available in a virtual machine configuration.  I also have problems with the network configuration in xVM (which I think is far less superior thanVMware), so I ditch it after two days.

Wubi has been there since Hardy 8.04, but I didn’t have the chance to play around with it.  I suppose now is the right time to use Wubi and really put it to the test.  Besides, I don’t want to use something that is just out.   I’d prefer to try the second version of the software, making sure it has patches some of the obvious bugs from the first release.

So there I go with Wubi installation.  It went flawlessly, and my Ubuntu 8.10 is installed under C:\ubuntu folder.  There are many instructions in the internet on how to install using Wubi, and one of them is here.

One additional note: Though you can see your Windows host folders from Wubi, it is still recommended to have a shared folder between the Windows host and Wubi installed Ubuntu since your Windows won’t be able to see any files you stored under Wubi installation by default.  To do that, you can run these two commands to set up a shared folder:

mkdir /media/host/wubi/shared
sudo ln -s /media/host/wubi/shared /home/shared

That way, all files you put in /home/shared will be visible when you run your Windows host.

Enjoy.

=rms=