xfce-aerolike

Important

This custom image is still WIP and in an alpha phase, so only use this for testing.

Important

For any theming issues, report here, don't report to the upstream developers.

Aero-like XFCE custom image based on Arch Linux base bootc image.
Tries to incorporate as many elements from Aero design as possible, but it won't be a 100% copy of Windows on purpose.

Theming Credits and Base

For the Aerolike GTK2, GTK3, GTK4 and LightDM theme, I credit:

• 'ReVista' - x35gaming, slightly modified version by contrarybaton60

For the Qt5 and Qt6 Kvantum theme, I credit:

• 'AeroThemePlasma' - wackyideas

For the Emerald window decoration theme, I credit:

• 'Aero Glass' - winvistlinux, ILoveNat

For the X11 cursors theme, I credit:

• 'Windows 7 Aero' - ILexian + 'Aero Mouse Cursors with Drop Shadow' - Infinality

For the XFCE-desktop GTK3 theme, I credit:

• 'aeroish-xfce4' - w4lll

For the default icon set, I credit:

• 'Obsidian' - madmaxms

Highlights

Now that we know what's the theming base and other defaults, I'll highlight what I added on top of it.

• Image setup in shortly is explained like this:
  • arch-base + dracut + bootc (with composefs) + SystemD + Xorg + LightDM + NetworkManager + chronyd + bluez + systemd-resolved + Pipewire + mesa (OpenGL) + vulkan + compiz + emerald + XFCE4 base + XFCE4 goodies like screenshotter and its applet plugins + theming
• Uses linux-lts kernel
• Uses corefreq as CPU frequency scaling, idle and source clock (TSC) driver instead of AMD's or Intel's equivalent (offers more control, potentially better CPU efficiency and performance)
• Has automatic seamless system updates enabled (runs atomic bootc upgrade once per day).
• Uses compiz as the compositing window manager and emerald as the window decorator.
• Additional compiz defaults that enables blur, snap and grid plugins + blurs taskbar and start menu. Also modified grid plugin to use colors matching the default background.
• Modified XFCE-desktop GTK3 theme to make applets size square-consistent, to make all applets use the Aero button hover and press theme and to make Start menu coloring closer to taskbar.
• Preconfigured variables, config and scripts for default theming, which includes: LightDM login screen, GTK2, GTK3, GTK4 (including Adwaita), Qt5, Qt6 and XFCE-desktop.
• Force GTK apps to use server-side window decorations through gtk-nocsd
• Installed and preconfigured Whisker-menu, docklike-taskbar, xfce4-power-manager, network-manager-applet, xfce4-pulseaudio-plugin, system tray, notifier, clock.
• Installs qt5ct and qt6ct in addition to Kvantum, so the Qt apps behavior can be modified further.
• Uses the cool teal glass background as the default.
• Uses Noto Sans as the font, 9 as the size.
• etc...

How to install

1. Download Fedora Vauxite ISO from this URL and install it regularly
2. When you boot to Vauxite, run this command below in terminal to switch to xfce-aerolike (requires internet connection):

• sudo bootc switch ghcr.io/fiftydinar/xfce-aerolike:latest

3. Reboot the system
4. Boot the Arch entry
5. Run this command in terminal, installs the container signatures required for signed image of xfce-aerolike (requires internet connection):

• sudo bootc switch --enforce-container-sigpolicy ghcr.io/fiftydinar/xfce-aerolike:latest

6. Run these commands to create the new user and set password for it (replace [new_username] with what you desire):

• sudo useradd -m -G wheel [new_username] && sudo passwd [new_username]

7. Log out
8. In login screen, select the new user and log in
9. Run this command in terminal to delete the old user inherited from Fedora Vauxite (replace [old_username] with what it is):

• sudo userdel -r [old_username]

10. Enjoy!

Caveats

This image is based on the experimental work of arch-bootc base image, so some issues might arise.

• GRUB bootloader cannot be updated
  • It will stay on the same version basically forever, because bootupd only works on Fedora and CoreOS based distributions.
• Installing or using other bootloader is unsupported
  • For the same reason as 1.
• Using different initramfs other than dracut is unsupported
  • Using mkinitcpio and others might work with some modifications, but upstream primarily uses dracut, which is also used here
• Secure boot doesn't work and is unsupported
  • For the same reason as 1 + unsigned kernel by default
• Update sizes are big (around 2GB)
  • This is because bootc doesn't have support for more efficient delta updates, so it downloads almost full image. Provided auto-update bootc timer won't trigger if the network connection is metered, so you can set that in network settings to disable those updates. Or disable the timer by issuing systemctl --system disable bootc-fetch-apply-updates.timer in terminal.