this post was submitted on 26 May 2025
342 points (98.6% liked)

Linux

54486 readers
698 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 6 years ago
MODERATORS
 

This is giving me warm vibes, so I'd love to find a theme that is like this. Does anyone know any? I'm using GNOME, but any DE that can pull this off is fine.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

Has anyone not mentioned Openbox yet? Window decorations look like the NeXT style, just colourful.

[–] [email protected] 87 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Paper GTK theme is a little bit similar, though with more vibrant colours ofc.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago

My problem with that theme is that it doesn't highlight any buttons. I believe all buttons should have borders, especially the ones the titlebar. This helps distinguish a noninteractive label from an interactive clickable button.

[–] brax 25 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Man, my tastes are weird because as much as I LOVE dark mode, I would absolutely rock a theme like this.

A lot of the suggestions in the comments kinda miss the mark... What we want is a very flat 2D-ish theme with over exaggerated shadowing, simple icons, and gentle rounded text areas and windows. None of the elements give the appearance of 3D curves or crevices. They remind me more of stickers.

One thing that bugs me with that mockup (and sorry because you won't be able to unsee it) is the inconsistency in shadows - some buttons have it, some don't. Some icons have it, some don't.

It is otherwise a really clean and nice layout. I dig the retro warm vibes.

[–] anomnom 10 points 3 days ago

The buttons with the shadow are the ones that will work with the return/enter key. It’s intentional and a convention from early Mac OS.

This design is basically a color version of the early Mac desktop. With vector designs that are used on the current MacOS.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago (2 children)

it seems like a generated image possibly which is why the subtle styling is inconsistent (not that it matters).

i don’t hate the non-shadow vs shadow effect tho… maybe just windows could be shadowed? or maybe the shadow could be like ellipses and indicate that something opens a dialog/new thing instead of a single file?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 days ago

Consistent font, text readable, pixel perfect consistency on close / maximize / minimize buttons. Definitely not (completely) AI-generated.

[–] brax -1 points 3 days ago

Yeah, I think the same - AI generated.

Shadow on the active window and maybe the selected icon could look nice. Likewise, on a button that is selected or hovered over.

[–] [email protected] 57 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (4 children)

https://www.pling.com/p/2142966/

Maybe not all that close, but it's the best I can think of right now.

I think it has the general old school vibe, maybe you could tweak the colors to be a bit brighter like your example?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago

Love it, thanks!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

Themes like this 🤤🤤

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

I'm motivated to try converting my nix-os install from gnome to plasma again

[–] [email protected] 35 points 4 days ago

I really dig this aesthetic, man. I think it's time to learn how to build a theme.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I don't know of a specific theme in the neubrutalism/neobrutalism style (names that are generally used to describe this style or aesthetic), but it shouldn't be too hard to make.

For anyone unfamiliar it's generally defined by flat, blocky layouts, with thick borders, single color drop shadows and a few bold high contrast colors (think CGA and EGA monitors if you're that old). It often features “unpolished” elements like flat simple shapes. Bold fonts and monospace fonts are pretty common.

There are a few resources out there if anyone wants to play around with this style.

https://github.com/ComradeAERGO/Awesome-Neobrutalism https://dribbble.com/shots/20764973-Neobrutalism-UI-How-to https://www.nngroup.com/articles/neobrutalism/

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 days ago

It almost looks like an old BeOS theme maybe? This Haiku one for GTK isn't too far off, so maybe you can start with this and alter it how you like: https://github.com/B00merang-Project/Haiku

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

XFCE looks closest shape-wise. it also has the advantage that you can customise it using css.

while not exactly what you're looking for, DesktopPal97 may be worth looking into as a base for your own theme.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 days ago

I want this so bad. Although in practice I imagine none of this will fit together well with the YouTube interface or with a custom desktop background.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 days ago

HomerOS here we come

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago

It looks like the kind of interface they’d use in classic Pokemon or Stardew Valley. I like the colours.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago

Interesting idea of icons and windows sharing the same plane...

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago

I'd suppose if you ask this on KDE Reddit someone with enough time could make something like this with Kvantvm, though the difficult parts would be (1) the web browser theme, and specially (2) the icon theme - I have never ever seen an icon theme like that for Linux

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago

Reminds me of the old Gem desktop for DOS.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 days ago

Yes, it's a mockup, not looking for this exactly but a similar vibe/look.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 days ago

All themes start as mockups

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

Reminds me a bit of the old default Gtk look. Or maybe early Java Swing... The flat look, primary colors, and some other elements to me; it's very nostalgic. Not sure of any themes that fit it though, sorry, haha

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

Possibly easier achieved with a window manager than a desktop.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

really nice! I guess it's a tiling window manager that arranges desktop icons too?

Yellow bars for inputs/dialogs, Blue for general popups(?), orange for errors and file managers, and white for tabbed windows/browsers.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

I have flashes of Solaris in my mind :)

load more comments
view more: next ›