How To Turn Ubuntu into Mac OS X with Macbuntu

Using a Mac machine is a dream for many people around the world. Those who can’t afford a Mac often search for a way to get their existing computer to look and act more like a Mac. Ubuntu users are no different. The extra benefit of Ubuntu users is that both Ubuntu and Mac are built in Unix, so it’s easier to get Ubuntu to imitate a Mac.

In today’s article, we will show you how to turn your Ubuntu machine into Mac using Macbuntu. Your machine will still work like Ubuntu and run only Ubuntu compatible applications. These scripts only change the look and feel of your desktop.

This article is not only a guide on how to download and install Mac themes, but it also covers how to configure them to look better than they do by default. Let’s check it out.

Macbuntu

Macbuntu is my personal favorite. Although it takes a little more time to execute and is a little bigger than Mac4Lin (another script to turn your Ubuntu into mac) does, I do like it more, because it gets the Mac experience a little better.

Getting Started

First, download Macbuntu installation files from here. Since Ubuntu 10.10 is the latest, we will show you how to use it in 10.10. Once downloaded, copy the archived tar.gz file and paste it on Computer > File System > tmp. Now, open up the terminal and execute the following command.

tar xzvf /tmp/Macbuntu-10.10.tar.gz -C /tmp

This creates a new folder and extracts the files in tmp location. Do not do this in the graphical way. The following command will enter the newly created folder.

cd /tmp/Macbuntu-10.10/

This command will prompt the installation.

./install.sh

You will be asked to enter your root password. Please type in your password and hit enter. While typing the password, no asterisk or dots will be shown, so don’t worry about that.

You will be asked to download additional files during the installation. You should type in y and hit enter to allow the download and install. Once it is done, you will see the change in your desktop.

At the very end of the installation, you will be asked whether you’d like to visit Firefox OS X theme. Please type n and hit enter to ignore, because I’m going to show you a better one.

Firefox Addon

Macbuntu by default changes Firefox to look more like Mac OS X, but since it’s not a Gnome application, it doesn’t completely get the Mac feel. You should download the addon called MacOSX Theme. Click here to get the addon. You will be prompted to install. Once done, restart your Firefox and you’ll love the new skin.

Enjoy

Now, explore your new machine. In every section of your Ubuntu, you will feel like you are using a Mac. However, if some reason you to want to uninstall the script, simply execute the following commands in the terminal.

cd ~/.macbuntu/10.10-2.3/ && ./uninstall.sh

Your Macbuntu will be removed in a moment. Please let us know what you think about Macbuntu.