I don't know if you are like me, but I prefer darker themes.

But with Ubuntu no UI interffface is present be default to change the color of the font in Gnome panels. Here the simple way I found.

1. Open a terminal and type:
   Haskell-Code:

   sudo gedit .gtkrc-2.0

2. Then a empty file will open so copy-paste this code:
   Haskell-Code:

   include "/home/autocrosser/.gnome2/panel-fontrc"style "desktop-icon"
   	{
   	NautilusIconContainer::frame_text = 1
   	text[NORMAL] = "#000000"
   	NautilusIconContainer::normal_alpha = 70
   	}
   	class "GtkWidget" style "desktop-icon"
   	#NautilusIconContainer::dark_info_color="#888888"
   	#NautilusIconContainer::light_info_color="#bbbbbb"
   	#NautilusIconContainer::highlight_alpha=20
   	style "panel"
   	{
   	fg[NORMAL] = "#ffffff"
   	# fg[PRELIGHT] = "#000000″
   
   	# fg[ACTIVE] = "#000000"
   	# fg[SELECTED] = "#000000″
   
   	# fg[INSENSITIVE] = "#8A857C"
   	# bg[NORMAL] = "#000000″
   
   	# bg[PRELIGHT] = "#dfdfdf"
   	# bg[ACTIVE] = "#D0D0D0″
   
   	# bg[SELECTED] = "#D8BB75″
   
   	# bg[INSENSITIVE] = "#EFEFEF"
   	# base[NORMAL] = "#ffffff"
   	# base[PRELIGHT] = "#EFEFEF"
   	# base[ACTIVE] = "#D0D0D0″
   
   	# base[SELECTED] = "#DAB566″
   
   	# base[INSENSITIVE] = "#E8E8E8″
   
   	# text[NORMAL] = "#161616″
   
   	# text[PRELIGHT] = "#000000″
   
   	# text[ACTIVE] = "#000000″
   
   	# text[SELECTED] = "#ffffff"
   	# text[INSENSITIVE] = "#8A857C"
   	}
   	widget "*PanelWidget*" style "panel"
   	widget "*PanelApplet*" style "panel"
   	class "*Panel*" style "panel"
   	widget_class "*Mail*" style "panel"
   	class "*notif*" style "panel"
   	class "*Notif*" style "panel"
   	class "*Tray*" style "panel"
   	class "*tray*" style "panel"

   That time I change the color code of: fg[NORMAL] = "#FFFFFF". You can change this fffor any color by using the #RRGGBB equivalent code.
3. Save. Close the editor. Re-log and Enjoy!

  If you dont know the code for the color you want you can go here, Or you can use gcolor2.   To install it type in a terminal

Haskell-Code:

sudo apt-get install gcolor2

And when you are done, type: gcolor2 and voila!

I hope this little trick will make it eiser for you!

Franky 

Wubi The ultimate Ubuntu installer for Windows

Wubi

Wubi (Windows-based Ubuntu Installer) is an officially supported Ubuntu installer for Windows users that can bring you to the Linux world

with a single click. Wubi allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu as any other Windows application, in a simple and safe way.

Pros and cons

Windows will not be touched, Wubi only adds an extra option to boot into Ubuntu. It doesn't require a partitions of your PC, or a different boot loader (like GRUB), and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application. And if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application (with the add/remove Programs of Windows).

This look fantastic the solution got a price. Using Wubi to install Ubuntu should be a no permanent solution.

• Because it use a virtual file a partition the performance of Ubuntu will be very affected. Also this file is in a NTFS drive so the Ext3/4 and the file will become fragmented.
• Hibernate is not possible with Wubi because no swap partition is created.
• With this solution Ubuntu is dependant from Windows. If you finally like the Ubuntu and decide to use it as primary OS, then you can't remove you're windows, because there are link together.
• With this kind of install Ubuntu is vulnerable to any windows infection. If you're windows got a virus then you're Ubuntu can be affected too.

Conclusion

Wubi is a great solution for people how want to try Ubuntu. Is so simple, you can just insert the Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron (or newest) or Just run the installer.

The Wubi popup menu will show, enter a password for the new account, and click "Install" and voila!

Note:

• Lubi, uses Linux as the host system instead of Windows.

• Mubi:for the Mac OS as host, will eventually be supported.

Requirements

• 256 MB memory
• 5 GB harddisk space
• Windows 98, 2000, XP, Vista

References

Official web site: http://wubi-installer.org/