Transform Linux into Windows 95 with Chicago95 3.0 -- bringing Microsoft's old-school cool to modern machines
Missing the days of Windows 95, but not the endless dial-up tones or the struggle of fitting everything on a floppy disk? Today’s tech may move faster, but there was something magical about those simpler, pixelated beginnings. Chicago95 is a nostalgic Linux theme that gives your modern desktop environment the classic look of Microsoft’s nearly three-decade-old Windows 95.
Developed by grassmunk on GitHub, this theme offers an accurate recreation of the Win95 aesthetic, complete with the familiar icons, colors, and fonts that defined the classic interface style.
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Chicago95 isn't just about visual appeal of course. It also includes detailed elements, from the classic Start menu and taskbar to the retro window borders and fonts, fully immersing users in the vintage Windows experience.
Compatible with several Linux desktop environments, including XFCE and others that support GTK, Chicago95 aims to replicate not only the look but also the feel of using Windows 95. The theme includes various add-ons with this in mind, such as custom mouse cursors, startup sounds, and even a TTF version of the original Chicago font.
Chicago95 3.0 has just been released and this is what’s changed:
- Improvements to Plus!
- Add some more packaging, and main pages
- Set HiDPI GDK scale
- Adjusting frame_border_top
- Plymouth theme update
- Add link to logo of Google Chrome (unstable)
- Docs (plymouth): update link reference
- Remove mimetype of libreoffice-calc
- Fixes Plymouth link on README.md
- Update for webkit2
- Plymouth: Update password promt and message
- Fix bold font being too smooth
- Fix thick black border on CSD windows when not using composition
- Added some readme formatting
- Some additional and little-bit corrected icons in 16 color palette.
- Update README.md
- Fix typo
- SDDM: Added keyboard focus to username and password fields
You can download Chicago95 3.0 from GitHub here and find out more about it, including a guide to getting started, here.