How to Customize Ubuntu Desktop

[Croulet]

Hi,
I have a Ubuntu notebook. I want some desktop customization tool of this operating system. I need a wallpaper changer tool or themes for this OS. Please provide links for sites from where I can download some themes and desktop applications. And also how can install them and use them. Does Ubuntu has it own desktop properties box like Windows. If yes then how to access it. Second thing the system works a bit slow. What are the ways to increase the speed of my notebook. Thanks in advance.

[Devasis]

There are some ways by which you can customize your Ubuntu system. First to improve the performance of the Ubuntu system disable the Tracker indexing option. The application runs by default. It is a type of a search tool. The tool is located at the upper-right side of the taskbar. This eats some lot of memory. Then second thing you can also disable the date time service. To run updates try to switch to different mirror instead of getting engaged with the same one.

[Solomon]

Download or Upgrade OpenOffice.org 3 in your system. The latest version is much faster and reliable. If you use latest version of all applications then your system performance will get improve at much higher level. You can stop or use the Music Applet Controls option which is located at the Linux System Tray. You can simply use Compiz Run to make your system performance much smoother.

[MrChris-]

You can personalize your desktop in many ways. There are multiple sections in Ubuntu which allows you to perform this action. First you can add up skins to most of the widgets, windows border and icons. The the most common site to get themes for Ubuntu is GnomeArt. The sites offers some free wallpapers and desktop tools. For the desktop settings go to System> Preferences > Themes or equivalently launching Code > type gnome-theme-manager. Change the setting here.