Make KDE Applications Look Native In GNOME (With Ubuntu Ambiance Style)

(Dolphin running in Gnome)

Getting KDE applications to look native in Gnome is rather easy (contrary to what you may think when looking at the lenghty instructions below - it's actually just a few clicks) thanks to an Ambiance KDE style created by WebUpd8 reader Alaukik. This means that while the instructions below work with any GTK theme, you'll need a KDE style similar to the one created by Alaukik for your current GTK theme to get everything looking properly.

Get KDE apps to look native in GNOME (Ambiance style)

1. Install systemsettings:

sudo apt-get install systemsettings

2. You need a KDE style to match your GTK theme. For Ambiance, download it from HERE (you'll need an Ubuntuforums account to download it) and extract it.

3. Go to System > Preferences > System Settings, on the "Application Appearance" and do the following:

- On the "Style" tab, under "Widget style" select "GTK+":

- On the "Colors" tab, select "Import Scheme" and browse for the Ambiance KDE style you've downloaded in step 2:

- On the "Icons" tab, select "Humanity":

- On the "Fonts" tab, select you need to select Ubuntu 11 (or whatever size you use on your desktop) for all except the fixed width font. You can mass-select the Ubuntu font for all by clicking the "Adjust All Fonts" button:

- For a complete matching font, on the same tab select "Enabled" under "use anti-aliasing", then click "Configure and select "Use sub-pixel rendering" and for "Hinting style", select "Slight":

Please note that the font hinting will only be applied to newly opened applications.

Thanks to alaukik for the tip! Via Ubuntuforums

Ubuntu Ambiance / Radiance Themes Are Now Borderless [Ubuntu 11.04] (Updated x2)

(Click to enlarge)

Remember Borderless Elementary? It was quite a success and I'm not sure if that's where the Ubuntu devs got the idea from, but an update today in Ubuntu 11.04 removes the borders for the Ubuntu "Light" themes: Ambiance and Radiance, writes Neil Patel on his blog.

You can still easily resize the windows thanks to invisible window borders and state-dependant shadows and some theme tweaks:

Remember this is purely visual, there is still a nice big hit areas on the left, right and bottom edges for you to resize the window with, you just can't see them

Here is an image to understand the different between the old Light Themes and Borderless Light Themes:

(Click to enlarge)

So what else will Ubuntu remove next (don't get me wrong, most of these are a good thing)? For now, Ubuntu 11.04 will remove: the menus (available on the top panel and using autohide), the scrollbars (overlay scrollbars), the notification area and now the window borders.

Update (March 12th): well, that was quick. The Ubuntu Light themes have a border again after just a few hours due to an update requested by Mark Shuttleworth.

Update 2 (March 13th): in a new comment on the same bug report (see link above), Mark Shuttlewroth seems to have changed his mind so the Light Themes will probably be updated to "borderless" again:

Oh alright, let's fix the issues for Unity-2D and get the 0px theme looking stunning for release ;-)

Mark

Screenshot credits: Neil Patel