I must apologize for mentioning the "W" word. I have shown numerous people for the seven years different Linux distributions. I help out in my church by the way. I help out some senior citizens computers. I have done a trial with them with KDE 4. It was something different and they did not like it. Left it with them for about a week.

It would be great if I could install a good KDE based distribution that look almost exactly like Windows Vista/7. It would make their lives easier and mine as well.

I actually was at a home last week. The owner had another fake anti-virus program show up on her computer and wanted to do a scan. It kept popping up every five seconds. She just clicked on a website to get more crafting supplies. She then asked me a question "How does a regular person with no computer skills get protection from this?". I did not want to get really technical with her and told her to call me next time.

I know a good KDE based Linux distribution would benefit her. I chose KDE because it closely resembles a Windows environment and it will be easier to tweak than Gnome.

I have searched and all the results are mostly for Ubuntu/Kubuntu users. I was hoping for a distro neutral solution. I hope someone here can help out. Thank you.

Well, yes, you can tweak it up to this point, but I fail to see why one would want to do this. It doesn't change anything in the fact that it is a different operating system. The ease of use is not better demonstrated by changing the looks IMHO.

Also, since the visual difference between Windows XP -> Vista -> 7 is considerable, why not go for a standard KDE SC 4.4? The learning curve is in no way steeper on the KDE side.

The only thing required is a user who thinks before clicking blindly, but isn't this even more so in a Windows environment, where a click too much can ruin the system?

Personally I think your friend would benefit much more from a guided introduction to KDE than just installing it and making it look like Windows. We have a quite well done http://userbase.kde.org with plenty of Introductions, Tutorials, Application guides and Tips&Tricks, why not use this and make a few bookmarks to the most important things?

Use vistar7 or Se7en or soemthing like that plasma theme.
Use Aero mouse theme
I think you can use aurorae theme engine to have sevenish window decoration

But the biggest problem is that user still won't be able to use Windows programs, at least without Wine, and even then it isn't a sure thing...

If it was the Plasma widget concept that was the issue... Cashew > Desktop Activity Settings > Activity. Change the type to "Folder View".

As a menu, you may find the classic menu more helpful too.

Mamarok wrote:Well, yes, you can tweak it up to this point, but I fail to see why one would want to do this. It doesn't change anything in the fact that it is a different operating system. The ease of use is not better demonstrated by changing the looks IMHO.

Sorry for bringing up a, since over 3 years, dead post - but because this still is the top search result for "make KDE look and feel like windows" (as of late 2013), I felt it was relevant to create an account for the first time and ask the question. I'm no real "user noobie" (I've used KDE since early 2009). However, I'm no real DE-tinkerer - I prefer spending my time tinkering with my own projects and designs rather than being pixel perfect with my desktop.

My newlywed wife, who was initially intrigued and motivated, has been fed up for a while with all the differences between the Windows and Linux desktops. Basically, I'd like to make the KDE desktop look and feel as much as windows as possible. And if this is possible, the possibility of someone NOT doing it would seem minimal, hence the enquiry anno 2013...

Small stuff like "start-button opens start" and "start+D" showing desktop, not being able to add icons and having extreme amounts of otions items when right-clicking stuff annoys the hell out of her (and sometimes me). She's a very smart person with a high degree in both computer science and economics, has a job as a high level project manager within flight controls and radars - basically the optimal person to have as a "best scenario use case". Still, she's fed up with all the "issues" and I need some help after all attempts. I want her to like linux.

Alekzanther wrote:I want her to like linux.

No doubt, please don't take this the wrong way I'm all for encouraging the use of linux.

Yes, you can make KDE look like windows to a large extent, by playing around with various themes. Change the icon set used, alter some of the keybindings etc etc. But why all the messing around though? If your wife prefers the look and feel of windows then isn't that what she should use? If she has her own computer there's no problem, if it's shared with yourself, then consider dual boot.

I've made a Windows 7 Login Screen Pack for KDE that you can copy over to the KDM login screen themes directory on:
http://kde-look.org/content/show.php/Wi ... ent=170119

And there is a boot screen for Plymouth that looks like Windows 7 here:
http://kde-look.org/content/show.php/Se ... ent=128652

I suggest taking a look at these two themes I made for Plasma and KWin, intended to emulate Win 7 / 8 features and visuals:

http://opendesktop.org/content/show.php?content=168769
http://opendesktop.org/content/show.php?content=156954

http://opendesktop.org/content/show.php?content=168737
http://opendesktop.org/content/show.php?content=168760

I suggest using the Oxygen or Breeze widget style, cursor theme, and icons with them.