Beauty in software.

Image (screenshot) of a random GNU/Linux customization.

Recently I was thinking about the state of FreeBSD, an operating system for computers, for daily use, in a subsituation to the Linux distribution that I use, and I ended up meeting with an old acquaintance: the customization of desktops.

There are certain subreddits, which are like the "subforums" of a larger social network, Reddit, and these subreddits in particular, most notably UnixPorn (which has nothing to do with pornography in fact), are filled with screenshots with glitter and diverse paraphernalities around and within the applications. It makes me wonder: is it really worth doing so many customizations to make your daily computer environment more "pretty"?

The conclusion I have reached is very simple and straightforward: no.

And my line of thought is based on the fact that most people who do or have done this type of customization, including me, although I have never gone so deep in those themes, is that that "theme" will hardly be your theme for a long time, it is very likely that you will simply throw it away and do it again in a different way or simply reinstall the OS (or install another) on your computer, whether because of "distrohopping" or for technical reasons. It is worth much more having an easy and nice desktop, and not a light show like these... Some people say they're following the KISS philosophy (Keep It Simple, Stupid,) but are filling their computers with aesthetic crap that they will admire for 2 days before getting sick of the theme.

Honestly, a simple and usable desktop destroys those colorful ones made to blend in with groups on the internet. Like any other type of design in applications, the simpler the better.