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Free Mac OS++

by Troseph on February 25th, 2008

I installed a few hacks to make my ubuntu look as much like a mac as possible. The end result is really impressive. It’s almost like I have a Macintosh… But its about 90% more useful and customizable. :)

First: Get a dock.

I use AWN (Avant Window Navigator)

The installation is simple.

Get the latest version from getdeb.net http://getdeb.net/. I used version 0.2.1 from here: http://getdeb.net/release.php?id=1865

The newer versions support drag ‘n drop for placing your launchers. Here is a screen:

Avant

Step 3: The wallpaper

Here you go (click to enlarge):

Lights

Step 4: Get a cool mac-like theme.

I used Humanoid – OSX – Dark from gnome-look.org

humanoid OSX

here is a link: http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Humanoid+-+OSX+-+Dark?content=72337

Step 5: Hack your metacity buttons to show on the left. (I’m not sure this will work if you use Emerald)

Open gconf-editor. alt+f2 then run:

gconf-editor

Edit the key: apps> metacity > general

Set to button_layout to:

close,minimize,maximize:menu

Step 6: Install global_menu

Install dependencies:
sudo aptitude install liborbit2-dev libgnomeui-dev libglade2-dev libbonoboui2-dev libglib2.0-dev libpango1.0-dev libatk1.0-dev libcairo2-dev libx11-dev libxext-dev libxinerama-dev libxi-dev libxrandr-dev libxcursor-dev libxfixes-dev libxcomposite-dev libxdamage-dev libcairo-directfb2 libcairo-directfb2-dev libcairo2-dev

Open a terminal
Create a folder

sudo mkdir global-menu-install

* Go to this folder

cd global-menu-install

* Get the patched gtk debs with the following instruction

wget http://gnome2-globalmenu.googlecode.com/files/gtk2.0-ubuntu-gutsy.tar.gz

* Unarchive them

tar zxvf gtk2.0-ubuntu-gutsy.tar.gz

* Install them
1. cd gtk
2. sudo dpkg -i *.deb

* Get the MacMenu applet files
1. cd ..
2. wget http://gnome2-globalmenu.googlecode.com/files/gnome2-globalmenu-applet_0.3.397-1_i386.deb
* Install it

sudo dpkg -i gnome2-globalmenu-applet_0.3.397-1_i386.deb

* Right-click on the panel and click add to the panel. Look for Global Menubar. Add it. And voila. It should work.

The finished product (click to enlarge):

myFreeMacOS

Thanks to:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/global_menu

http://code.google.com/p/gnome2-globalmenu/wiki/InstallingonUbuntu

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One Comment
  1. Daniel permalink

    Pretty decent looking ‘OS Free’ but maybe you could enlighten me about how to default icons to the right hand side? That alone might entice me to book up my VM..

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