Lucid may not be getting a new GTK theme but it will still be getting an entirely new look.
Ubuntu’s Ayatana team (most famed for creating those awesome ‘new’ notification balloons that came in Jaunty) are currently testing a super-duper enhanced version of GTK+ that adds RGBA support (think Windows Aero) and client side window decoration.
Only a few months ago we posted a laborious and complex solution for hacking RGBA support in Ubuntu, but thanks to the Ubuntu Ayatana Team it will arrive out-of-the-box in Ubuntu 10.04 and, if suitably tested, will be enabled by default.
It is easier to demonstrate the visual wow factor that comes with RGBA color maps. Witness: –
note: this is not the patch for lucid, but a hacked GTK using RGBA
Let us all hope that this makes it into Lucid (very early in testing stage, has issues with nautilus) but should it be part of Lucid it will undoubtedly help to modernise the look and feel of Ubuntu aside from opening up a whole new realm of possibilities for theme makers and customizers.
There may be gripes and moans about ‘not being individual’ – but I’m firmly of camp “what works, works.”.
Testing
Lucid Alpha testers may wish to test and bug-hunt this shiny newly empowered GTK+ out. You can find the PPA you need for LUCID ONLY @ https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-desktop/+archive/ppa.
Bug reporting to be done @ https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gtk+2.0/+bug/491521
Thanks to John
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