Windows-like desktop
 

Right now I'm wondering what sort of desktop I might use to replace Ubuntu's default (Unity?) I've been using Windows for most of my life (except when I used Dos), and so the adjustment to Linux is kind of slow. I've found myself liking Puppy's spartan interface- it's easy on the eyes and kind of reminds me of older Windows systems. Is there anything similar available for Ubuntu?

A bit more detail might not hurt, I guess. I don't like the way Unity hides things away, as I'm used to having a start menu and desktop short cuts (free cookie to whoever tells me how to set up a shortcut in Ubuntu). Something that's not too colorful would be nice.

Hi. KDE has long (lloonngg :)) been my favorite so customizable...

not best for one gig or so of RAM?

Have fun.

Edit\add:

I like xfce4: http://askubuntu.com/questions/11660...op-environment

unity sucks.
most other desktop environments are much more windows-like (thinking "old style windows" with taskbar and start button).

also Zorin OS comes to mind - it claims to be as close to windows as possible, ui-wise. it's linux.

If it's not too much trouble, could you post some screenshots of your favorite desktops?

This might help.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...reenshots-114/

I used to play with

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihIrXoiiYn4

http://www.noobslab.com/2014/01/wind...lable-for.html
http://xfce-look.org/content/show.ph...content=162880
http://box-look.org/content/show.php...content=151085
https://kmandla.wordpress.com/projec...ws-xp-classic/

But decided I like my other looks better

http://i.imgur.com/TJzo2Db.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/OoazRUV.jpg

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ml#post5399244
Xfce would be my number two over the years then also for you OpenBox, LXDE, Gnome... on and http://goo.gl/NqgqJx
being free to try you could let us know which are more microcoughed-windblow$ like? :D Make sure you backup important data first tho. ;)

i don't use a "windows-like desktop".
but, fwiw, my current setup.

I don't know why, but it seems like I can't install anything from a live USB... unfortunate, that.

By installing from a Live USB, do you mean downloading some software to the usb then copying it to your hard drive and installing it?
Or do you mean installing it to a Linux system running as a Live usb? You can do the latter but because it is a read-only filesystem, all changes are gone on reboot. Not sure what you are referring to?

I meant I was having trouble using the terminal to acquire packages.

What about setting up persistence?

Seff, now i'm getting confused.

as to your original post, you want to try different desktop environments, right?

for that you don't need another distro.

once you have identified the DE, you open your software manager (that's what it's called under ubuntu/unity, right? you can also use the more technical term "packet manager") and install it, e.g. KDE.

after that, you reboot, and when you come to the login window, there should be a new choice "KDE session" or some such.

is that what you want?

if you want to try out another distro entirely, there's already about half a million forum threads and blog articles and whatnot to get you started.

until you hit some sort of technical wall, at which point you provide us with the necessary details (read the 1st link in my signature), and we'll try to help again...

Yes, I want to try a different desktop. Something like the one in Puppy (Carolina Vanguard) would be nice...

i don't know which desktop environment that uses.
probably some puppy homebrew, so you would have to install/try puppy linux for that.

but i do not recommend puppy linux.