# Gnome 40 - The anti-desktop desktop **URL:** \ **Category:** Blogs/Articles/Talks/Podcasts\ **Tags:** desktop\ **Created:** [21 April 2021 21:57 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/gnome-40-the-anti-desktop-desktop/8978 "2021-04-21T21:57:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CommunityNews](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/communitynews/32/1113_2.png) [@CommunityNews](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/CommunityNews)\ **Post date:** [21 April 2021 21:57 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/gnome-40-the-anti-desktop-desktop/8978/1 "2021-04-21T21:57:13Z")
> In a few weeks, Fedora 34 will be released, and alongside it - you will get to use Gnome 40, the next version of this namesake desktop environments. But wait. [Gnome 40](https://forty.gnome.org/) has been officially released only a few short days ago, and you can already try it. Ahead of the distro testing season, I thought it would be a neat idea to grab the software and check what awaits the Tux crowds en masse come mid-April. I downloaded the Fedora 34 beta and booted the system. > > Going into a review without any expectations or great hope is a good thing for me. My emotional balance will most likely not be upset too much today. After all, for me, Gnome 3 has never delivered. It’s always been sub-optimal, introducing complication and confusion into the classic desktop formula through a strange paradigm of would-be visual minimalism and touch-like inefficiency. More mouse clicks = not fun. I don’t expect miracles. But who knows, I might actually be surprised. Remember, beta version, things could change. Now, let’s proceed. Commence… Read in full here: > **[Gnome 40 - The anti-desktop desktop](https://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/gnome-40.html)** > > Review of Gnome 40 desktop environment, tested in Fedora 34 beta, covering look and feel, ergonomics and many associated problems in the default design, new Activities, Gnome Tweaks, Extensions, desktop scaling, performance, search, tour, and more _This thread was posted by one of our members via one of our news source trackers._ ---
**Author:** ![OvermindDL1](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/overminddl1/32/52_2.png) [@OvermindDL1](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/OvermindDL1)\ **Post date:** [28 June 2021 16:01 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/gnome-40-the-anti-desktop-desktop/8978/3 "2021-06-28T16:01:30Z")
I’m definitely a bit biased against gnome so keep that in mind, but that’s because I have really _really_ not enjoyed using it when I do. I even keep trying to use it on occasion as I keep it installed on my computer and give it another try on occasion to see how it evolves. But in short, I really really dislike gnome, all the way up to version 3 is what I’ve tried, we’ll see how 4 goes but based on this article I’m not going to be a fan of it either. KDE on the other hand, I’m an absolute fan of. Not only is it incredibly lightweight (even lighter than most “lightweight” DE’s), but it’s “Activities” (not to be confused with gnome activities, which is basically just the running/runnable programs) are basically the multi-desktop view well known on X but to a significantly enhanced degree, and it’s amazing to add to your workflow. In addition, the sheer customizability of KDE and it’s ability to change to adapt to anything from huge Desktop views to phone interfaces is unmatched in my opinion thus far. A fun thing to note, KDE by default is…fairly windows styled, but you can make it look like a mac, like gnome3, like gnome2, like gnome4, like unity, like basically anything else you could near imagine (short of VR interfaces, though that’s being worked on as well by others). It’s configurability is unparalleled by any other DE. ---
**Author:** ![AstonJ](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/astonj/32/7_2.png) [@AstonJ](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/AstonJ)\ **Post date:** [29 June 2021 00:57 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/gnome-40-the-anti-desktop-desktop/8978/4 "2021-06-29T00:57:10Z")
> [@OvermindDL1](#): > > A fun thing to note, KDE by default is…fairly windows styled, but you can make it look like a mac, like gnome3, like gnome2, like gnome4, like unity, like basically anything else you could near imagine (short of VR interfaces, though that’s being worked on as well by others). It’s configurability is unparalleled by any other DE. I wonder which Linux distro/set-up is most Mac-like? If you have any links or vids I’d definitely be interested in taking a look 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OvermindDL1](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/overminddl1/32/52_2.png) [@OvermindDL1](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/OvermindDL1)\ **Post date:** [29 June 2021 14:08 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/gnome-40-the-anti-desktop-desktop/8978/5 "2021-06-29T14:08:18Z")
By default? No clue. But KDE can definitely become the most mac-like. I know I’ve seen the occasional youtube video and online article on how to do so, but can always set it up manually. The latte dock I think it was, was the main jumping off point? Then of course moving menu bars to the top of the screen, etc… etc… ---
**Author:** ![Eiji](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/eiji/32/6784_2.png) [@Eiji](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/Eiji)\ **Post date:** [19 December 2023 21:51 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/gnome-40-the-anti-desktop-desktop/8978/6 "2023-12-19T21:51:38Z")
> [@AstonJ](#): > > I wonder which Linux distro/set-up is most Mac-like? If you have any links or vids I’d definitely be interested in taking a look 😃 I have used dozens of `Linux` distributions and there are no `Mac`-like defaults at least in the most popular ones. That’s said most up-to-date distributions either share their own dark theme as default or provide `Breeze` theme. As it was said already `KDE/Plasma` is highly configurable and you can change everything you want. There are full themes ready to install for `Windows` and `Mac` look, so it’s not really that hard to setup it. I guess the biggest thing here may be only keyboard shortcuts which of course you can customize as well. > **[Windows XP global theme tranformation pack](https://store.kde.org/p/1885548)** > > DO NOT INSTALL THIS THROUGH SYSTEM PREFERENCES, INSTALL IT MANUALLYALTERNATIVELY YOU CAN INSTALL THE WINDOW DECORATIONS, COLORS, ETC. BY INSTALLING > **[WVista - Windows Vista Global Theme for Plasma](https://store.kde.org/p/1895681)** > > DO NOT INSTALL THIS THROUGH SYSTEM PREFERENCES, INSTALL IT MANUALLY. Instructions below.This is the transformation pack, which will transform KDE Plasma 5 into Windows Vista with great... > **[Apple Sonoma Light](https://store.kde.org/p/2047324)** > > theme inspired by macOS Sonoma (MacOs 14) > **[Apple Sonoma v1 SDDM](https://store.kde.org/p/2049601)** > > apple sonoma v1 is the first sddm theme that imitates the appearance of the new macos sonoma, was created using as base the theme ROUNDED-DARK by Alexey Varfolomeev ---
**Author:** ![AntonRich](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/antonrich/32/3165_2.png) [@AntonRich](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/AntonRich)\ **Post date:** [3 December 2024 07:59 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/gnome-40-the-anti-desktop-desktop/8978/7 "2024-12-03T07:59:43Z")
Could be Elementary OS. P.S. Never used Mac so can’t really tell. ---
**Author:** ![Eiji](https://forum.devtalk.com/user_avatar/forum.devtalk.com/eiji/32/6784_2.png) [@Eiji](https://forum.devtalk.com/u/Eiji)\ **Post date:** [5 December 2024 15:36 UTC](https://forum.devtalk.com/t/gnome-40-the-anti-desktop-desktop/8978/8 "2024-12-05T15:36:21Z")
I would say it goes it’s own way that is a bit similar to `Mac`, but hey - Windows, KDE, Gnome and many other desktop environments share many UI staff, so it’s not really a surprise. From what I saw on screenshots there is close button on left, but min/max button on right. I believe it’s helping many people and prevents accidental clicks or something like that, but it’s far away from `Mac` look like. For sure there is definitely some distribution which looks exactly like `Mac` by default as just adding wallpapers and change naming is already considered a new distribution, but as said the most popular ones are rather not going to copy other themes. They may have similar dark themes, but each one would have it’s own accents. They are free, but exist on huge market, so they need to be visually recognised by people. As above if you choose any distribution with `KDE/Plasma` you would be able to change a look and feel as you wish. It could look exactly like `Mac` or be even your own one.