KDE uses too much of resources, GNome is ok. But, Xfce is better. It is fast. You can do pretty much do all the work you do in any other desktop environment in this too.
Installing: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/InstallingXubuntu XFCE with Enlightenment window manager: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=101066 Xuubntu with Thunar file manager: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=95934 Enlightened Xubuntu Mac OS X Style: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=98067 [Check more for enlightenment themes. You can have Aqua theme, Jaguar background, MacOS X icons...] Enlightenment themes: http://themes.freshmeat.net/browse/60/ XFCE programs description: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/view/stable/x/xfce.html
Few problems I faced:
http://themes.freshmeat.net/projects/aqua_/
- Accessing shared files: Use Xfsamba4, an samba front end.
- Aqua theme: Border problems. Check more at theme webpage in freshmeat.
- File Manager: XFCE's default file manager sucks. Try thunar (Links given above). It is pretty good.
- Enlightenment: You may have to purge cache and restart enlightenment for testing new sounds, modified theme files, etc.