There have been promises of an overhaul to Ubuntu's default theme for quite some time.  Ubuntu 9.10, set to be released at the end of this month, will begin delivering on those promises.  Below, we take a look at the new system theme and artwork that will debut in Karmic Koala. The touch-ups to Ubuntu's default look in Karmic are a bit short of the complete overhaul that Mark Shuttleworth has alluded to since the time of Hardy's release.  But they represent much more than the negligible aesthetic changes that have marked other recent releases. System theme

Christopher Tozzi, Contributing Editor

October 7, 2009

2 Min Read
Ubuntu 9.10 Preview: New Theme, Icons

There have been promises of an overhaul to Ubuntu’s default theme for quite some time.  Ubuntu 9.10, set to be released at the end of this month, will begin delivering on those promises.  Below, we take a look at the new system theme and artwork that will debut in Karmic Koala.

The touch-ups to Ubuntu’s default look in Karmic are a bit short of the complete overhaul that Mark Shuttleworth has alluded to since the time of Hardy’s release.  But they represent much more than the negligible aesthetic changes that have marked other recent releases.

System theme

Although the rusty-orange color scheme that Ubuntu users have known and loved (or not) for years remains prevalent in Karmic’s default wallpaper, Ubuntu 9.10’s window-decorator theme features a dark-brown tone.

Appearance settings window

Appearance settings

Besides the color change, the window decorations haven’t changed much since previous releases.  This is still the “Human” theme, just in a different color.

Icons

The second major aesthetic update in Karmic is a (with few exceptions) totally new set of default icons.  Here are some examples:

Karmic Applications menu

Applications menu

Karmic Places menu

Places menu

Karmic Administration menu

Administration menu

The applets in the system tray have also received a makeover:

Karmic system tray icons

System tray

Nor have Nautilus icons been neglected:

Nautilus icons in Karmic

Nautilus icons

In my opinion, at least, the new icons, which are more detailed and three-dimensional, are a refreshing update to the simplistic artwork that has predominated in previous Ubuntu releases.

A total overhaul of the Ubuntu look will have to wait for future releases.  But for the time being, the touch-ups to Karmic should help placate users who worry that Ubuntu’s default look is ugly and outdated.

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About the Author(s)

Christopher Tozzi

Contributing Editor

Christopher Tozzi started covering the channel for The VAR Guy on a freelance basis in 2008, with an emphasis on open source, Linux, virtualization, SDN, containers, data storage and related topics. He also teaches history at a major university in Washington, D.C. He occasionally combines these interests by writing about the history of software. His book on this topic, “For Fun and Profit: A History of the Free and Open Source Software Revolution,” is forthcoming with MIT Press.

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