How can I get Ubuntu 14.04 look like my old Ubuntu 11?

Question

I want old Ubuntu 11 look for my Ubuntu 14.04. How can I set up that look?

Ubuntu 11

Official Ubuntu flavor starting at 15.04. https://ubuntu-mate.org/ — xangua, Jun 07 '15 at 19:04
If by "old ubuntu 11 look" you are refering to the actuall Gnome 2 desktop or just a look alike then please edit your question to specify it. — xangua, Jun 07 '15 at 19:25
I understood the answer "How to get Ubuntu 11 look like 14.04". But it is vice versa. — Pilot6, Jun 07 '15 at 19:30

xangua · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-07T19:54:13.407

8

Gnome 2 is dead, long live Gnome 2.

Mate is a fork of Gnome 2 and Ubuntu Mate starting at 15.04 is officialy part of the Ubuntu family.

You can download Ubuntu Mate from: https://ubuntu-mate.org/

enter image description here

To install Mate in Ubuntu 14.04:

Instructions from the official wiki

The Ubuntu MATE Developers utilize a MATE 1.8.1 PPA Repo ported from Debian for use with the Trusty (14.04) Ubuntu MATE Remix. Add Repository

You may add this repo to your apt sources via the following commands:

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/ppa
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/trusty-mate

Install MATE 1.8.1

First make sure your package list and packages are up-to-date by running:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

You can choose to install Vanilla MATE by picking one of the apt-get options below.

This will install the base packages required for a minimal MATE desktop

sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment-core

This will install the complete MATE desktop

sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment

This will install the complete MATE desktop including a few extras (Most Users Will Want This)

sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment-extras

Ubuntu MATE

Alternatively you may choose to install Ubuntu MATE.

Ubuntu MATE is a more comprehensive option that offers a slightly tweaked layout, configuration, and themes to integrate into Ubuntu in a more seamless fashion. This will install the complete MATE Desktop Environment as well as LightDM and numerous other applications to provide a full and well rounded desktop.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-mate-core ubuntu-mate-desktop

edited Jun 07 '15 at 19:54

answered Jun 07 '15 at 19:06

xangua

7,217

that means it is not possible by changing settings. – Madhav Nikam Jun 07 '15 at 19:08
There is a third party repository of Mate for 14.04. – xangua Jun 07 '15 at 19:10
Is it possible without mate? and just changing settings in 14.04 manually? – Madhav Nikam Jun 07 '15 at 19:14
mate is not bad idea but new Installation is big thing......... – Madhav Nikam Jun 07 '15 at 19:14
If you only wanted a look alike you can try fallback mode and play around. The only wat to make a regular Ubuntu install, wich uses Gnome 3, to look like the Gnome 2 desktop is to use the Gnome 2 desktop. – xangua Jun 07 '15 at 19:20
Update it in your answers then your answer perfect for both requirement.... – Madhav Nikam Jun 07 '15 at 19:26
1

Also if you decide to go and try with Gnome Fallback Mode, notice that it may look but won't act like Gnome 2 (Mate) for example you won't be able to put desktop launchers in your desktop or panel as reflected in the old Ubuntu and Mate screenshots. – xangua Jun 07 '15 at 19:41
Let us continue this discussion in chat. – Madhav Nikam Jun 07 '15 at 19:45

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 07 '15 at 19:26

You can remove your current desktop and install mate-desktop.

If that's what you want to do.

Switch on your computer.

Press and hold the Shift key, which will bring up the Grub menu.

Select the line which starts with --- Advanced options.

Select the line ending with --- recovery mode .

Your PC should display a menu with a number of options.

Select network --- root or netroot.

In a terminal run:

  # mount -o remount, rw /
  # mount --all
  # apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/ppa
  # apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-mate-dev/trusty-mate
  # apt-get update
  # apt-get dist-upgrade
  # apt-get install --reinstall aptitude deborphan ubuntu-mate-core ubuntu-mate-desktop
  # aptitude remove '?and(?reverse-depends(gnome),?not(?reverse-depends(?exact-name(ubuntu-mate-desktop))))'
  # aptitude remove '?and(?reverse-depends(unity),?not(?reverse-depends(?exact-name(ubuntu-mate-desktop))))'
  # apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-mate-core ubuntu-mate-desktop
  # deborphan
  # apt-get --purge remove $(deborphan)
  # deborphan --libdevel
  # apt-get --purge remove $(deborphan --libdevel)
  # deborphan --find-config
  # dpkg --purge $(deborphan --find-config)
  # apt-get autoremove
  # apt-get clean
  # reboot

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 07 '15 at 19:52

If your meaning of like 11 is: not this terrible unity thing, then you have a choice of many desktops. Gnu/Linux has many desktops, there are just programs, not OS versions.

All you have to do is install a different desktop. There is KDE, Gnome, xfce, lxde, 9wm, aewm, afterstep, awesome, blackbox, ctwm, dwm, flwm, fvwm …

Then select it before login.

Try some out.

Most of these will be part of Ubuntu, no need for PPAs.

How can I get Ubuntu 14.04 look like my old Ubuntu 11?

3 Answers3