How to install Gnome Shell in Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot)

Sponsored Link
GNOME Shell is the defining technology of the GNOME 3 user experience. It provides core interface functions like switching to windows and launching applications. GNOME Shell takes advantage of the capabilities of modern graphics hardware and introduces innovative user interface concepts to provide a delightful and easy to use experience.

Install Gnome Shell in Ubuntu 11.10

Open the terminal and run the following command

sudo apt-get install gnome-shell

This will complete the installation.

Now you have to logout from the existing session if you want to login in to gnome shell desktop you need to select GNOME from the login Screen

Once you loggedin you should see similar to the following screen

You can improve your gnome shell desktop looks with nice themes

Installing themes

Once you have downloaded your theme extract them to their respective location.

Extract Gnome shell theme and GTK 3 theme to ~/.themes
Extract icon theme to ~/.icons
Extract custom font to ~/.fonts

Note: ~/ is a shorthand for your home folder. So ~/.themes is referring to the /home/username/.themes folder.

Sponsored Link

You may also like...

18 Responses

  1. Gavin says:

    That screenshot is very interesting. I see a bottom task-bar which is usually not found in Gnome 3 Shell on Fedora and openSUSE. I will need to try this out, because I wonder if open apps appear there and if they can be rearranged like in Gnome 2.

  2. Andreas says:

    Would that also work for 11.04? I hear there for some fatal problems with upgrading to Gnome 3 in the beginning?

  3. Razl says:

    I had the same look in the Gnome shell.Thre reason was, that I forgot to enable the 3d acceleration in Virtualbox. After I did this, it looked the way it should! (=> http://www.gnome.org/gnome-3/)

  4. Kai says:

    My installation shows the nautilus title bar in the top bar. And the fonts are mostly unreadable.

  5. 1roxtar says:

    Why do people still keep insisting on getting people to install themes via this route when you can make it so much easier showing them how to use the Gnome Tweak Tool? It’s in the Ubuntu Software Center. Not everyone wants or needs to use the Terminal. GUI’s are not for dummies. They are tools to make things less complicated.

  6. alex says:

    You can also find Gnome Shell in the Ubuntu Software Centre if you prefer the GUI.

  7. Jonquil says:

    Just thought you might want to note that your images are a bit squashed.

    Also, I don’t really like the screenshot of Gnome 3 running on Ubuntu. Is that what it looks like out of the box? Ubuntu sure did do a good job at messing up Gnome 3’s original design.

  8. No Mans Land says:

    I don’t understand why Ubuntu guys can’t just create a Gubuntu (Gnome 3) like Kubuntu (KDE) and Ubuntu (Unity) and let the users chose which one they want!
    Installing Gnome Shell from the Software centre is not a reasonable approach.
    Is there a possibility of an iso DVD for gnome 3 Ubuntu, or you have to go to the Software Centre?

  9. orchideo says:

    @ no mans land
    Perhaps because Ubuntu uses Gnome 3? 🙂

  10. gavin says:

    @No Mans Land
    I agree, this is a golden opportunity for a new distribution that strips away Unity and replaces it with stock Gone 3 Shell.

  11. orchideo says:

    @ No Mans Land
    Ubuntu 11.10 uses Gnome 3 (with Lightdm+Unity for Gdm+Shell).
    So, is not possible another derivative with Gnome 3.

  12. Javed says:

    Please Help

    I use LAN network provided by my institute. I have already defined proxy settings in Network Proxy.
    In Mozilla Connection Settings if I give option for– Use system proxy settings then internet does not work.
    but if i manually define it there then it works smoothly..
    Rest other things like Ubuntu Software Center and apt-get are working..

  13. Greg Ferrell says:

    Thanks for this. Unity is a shitty experience so far. I really had high hopes for it, but its just terrible :(.

  14. Tom says:

    I feel the same way unity is a wrong move for ubuntu. downloaded and tried the unity desktop and pee u it stinks. do not like it at all. so from now on will have to find another linux to use. maybe sab 7. ubuntu messed up this time…hate to leave ubuntu but with unity I will have to…

  15. Piers Snell says:

    Thanks for this.

    I just hope Gnome carries on being offered in some shape or form. I fear the worst. Once you’re dealing with a management style that decides, in the face of huge majority disapproval of the changes they’re going to make, that they’re going to make them anyway, it’s a downhill slope.

    “Let’s put program selection on the left”
    “What if people like to pick their
    program from the top of the screen?”
    “Let’s put program selection on the left, and make it really hard for our users to change the style, size and arrangement of the icons”

    “Let’s do away with the panel at the bottom of the screen that lets our users see at a glance which programs they have open, and change from one to another with a single mouse click”
    “You have users who really like that panel
    at the bottom of the screen, are used to
    it, and dislike having to cycle through
    their open applications with Alt-Tab, which
    slows their work right down.”
    “Let’s do away with the panel at the bottom of
    the screen”

  16. Geoff says:

    Your second screenshot appears to be of Gnome Classic and NOT Gnome Shell!
    Regards

  17. troll says:

    thanx, dude!

  18. Nacnud Nosmoht says:

    Thanks. I don’t like Unity. Seems like they’re trying to copy Apple style (menus at top of screen, as opposed to within the window). I just don’t like it. And the “Gnome-classic” that is provided is lame – no “System” menu.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *