the fundamental nature of "customizing Linux"

[Guest]

I am new to Linux. After quite a bit of reading about the differences between Ubuntu, Kubuntu, and Xubuntu, -apparently Kubuntu has more little options to customize every little thing, whereas Ubuntu is more simple and less customizable. Do you think this is so?

I decided to switch to Linux after reading about how configurable it supposedly is. My guess is that one can indeed customize most anything if they have intermediate to advanced knowledge/experience. But I -a beginner- have trouble finding out how to customize the most simple things.

I decided to start out with Ubuntu because I thought it would have a somewhat larger support community than Kubuntu. I'm wondering if Kubuntu is harder or easier to congfigure, customize etc. I'm considering switching to Kubuntu (before I get too far along with Ubuntu).

As an example of something I can't figure out how to do: in the Ubuntu applications menu, in the Office submenu, I'd like to change the order that the items appear in the list. Another thing I'd like to do is have the title bar of my active window be a blend/fade of two different colors. You can easily do this in Windows 98! So I was surprised that I couldn't do it in Ubuntu (9.04)

My fundamental topic of discussion here is:

-Where do you find tutorials and other resources on doing customizations like this?

-Can things like this be configured in Kubuntu, Ubuntu without knowledge of programming languages etc?

-When people say Linux is highly customizable, -are these simple things customizable? or are they refering to sever database parameters, integrated app extensions, and so fourth?

[Rog131]

Re: the fundamental nature of "customizing Linux"

As an example of something I can't figure out how to do: in the Ubuntu applications menu, in the Office submenu, I'd like to change the order that the items appear in the list.

With the Kubuntu. Right click the K (menu) > Menu editor.

Go to the Office submenu - you could drag&drop and change the order of the items.

I'd like to change the order that the items appear in the list. Another thing I'd like to do is have the title bar of my active window be a blend/fade of two different colors. You can easily do this in Windows 98! So I was surprised that I couldn't do it in Ubuntu (9.04)

The KDE has plenty of window decoration styles (and apps). With some of the decoration styles it is possible to make "the title bar of my active window be a blend/fade of two different colors".

-Where do you find tutorials and other resources on doing customizations like this?

> HOWTO find Kubuntu's manual / reference / guide / documentation / help

-Can things like this be configured in Kubuntu, Ubuntu without knowledge of programming languages etc?

Yes - sometimes - it depends.

-When people say Linux is highly customizable, -are these simple things customizable? or are they refering to sever database parameters, integrated app extensions, and so fourth?

Yes - sometimes - it depends.


Every application is a bit different - older applications usually have setting panels/menus. If the application is a fresh one - it is probable that you will need to edit the setting files (text/xml).

[pansz]

Re: the fundamental nature of "customizing Linux"

I am new to Linux. After quite a bit of reading about the differences between Ubuntu, Kubuntu, and Xubuntu, -apparently Kubuntu has more little options to customize every little thing, whereas Ubuntu is more simple and less customizable. Do you think this is so?

Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu are not different distributions, they are the *same* distribution with different default software installed and different default options.

You can obtain a kubuntu by installing a xubuntu then do some install/remove software operations and some customizations.