The only two desktops I like in Linux are Unity and GNUstep. The former because Ubuntu has a plan for uniform aesthetics across different devices, it's very close to the MacOS UI (the closest IMHO), and has a lot of users (I like to contribute in uniformity being successful).
The later (GNUstep) because it's the closest brother of Cocoa. I don't like the Linux diversity where each app has completely different aesthetics. But it's about tastes, and that's subjective.
I completely agree. It used to be that the different looks of certain app windows upset me; now it doesn't bother me so much as it serves as an indicator at what level I'm working in. What bothers me are [square] browser right-click window differences, for example, along with the available commands in the sub-menu, "etc."
I think GNOME3 or KDE5, at least on the Desktop, is trying to do what Unity has been doing. For me Unity has the same limitations as GNOME3, which are the lack of surface and in-depth customization - things like themes, fonts, tweaks, etc. Going from Gnome2 to Unity was a frustration for me as I couldn't get into the bowels of the window settings. Things like adding a printer under GNOME3 was fruitless (I think I tried a hand full of different GNOME3 distros, finally settling on ExTix after exhausting RoboLinux GNOME3... )
To me, Unity seems to be an extension of a cell phone GUI, more Android/Chrome-ish. Not a bad thing, per se, mind you... But "having to" setup a Ubuntu One account is like "having to" set up a Microsoft account... Ang OS that goes to a "store front" app. installer is not "my cup of tea." First thing I did with "Trusty" was to install the Synaptic installer, since I already know what I like and I know how to do it. I'm sure we all have our preferences...
For those of us who like OSX, for example, 'Trusty' allows the switching of the window buttons from the right side to the left, mirroring OSX. I've always liked the Apple browser blue scroll bar and when I now use Opera, for example, it is "missing," just like Windows 8x/10's browser button is grayed out and I have problems seeing where the scroll bar starts and where the scroll bar window starts. I remember getting the sources for that blue scroll bar (GlossyP) and making sure that I could customize whatever Linux distro I was trying.
Remember when we would change the window scroll bar triangles, preferring them both at the bottom (OSX) or on the top and the bottom (Windows)? It's the little things that we are used to... (At work one of the Admins decided to disable mouse right-click in our pushed image. It didn't go over too well... Same thing happened when an Admin setup a Windows 8 lab on a Friday, went on vacation and no one could log in on Monday because they were used to WXP.
Now that you've mentioned GNUStep I will have to "take it for a spin," and see what window themes appeal to me, which icons appeal to me, which fonts appeal to me (yes, I love the OSX San Francisco font, just as I love the Linux Noto and Droid fonts), etc. Thank you very much for the tip; it is much appreciated.
I completely agree that whatever Linux distro one has that it should be stable and work with all of one's hardware. The only "Rolling" distro I play with is PCLOS KDE4.4, where I'm presently running Kernel 4.8. "Cairo Dock" is regressed in it, though. It works, but ends up throwing a segment fault on startup and when closing on shutdown. It worked with earlier kernels, though.
Would it be too much of an imposition if I asked for a snap shot of your GNUstep desktop with a few apps and windows open? One can't always trust Google pics to be truthful. If it wouldn't be too much of an imposition, then thanks. And if it would be too much of an imposition, well, thanks any way, I understand.
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For me it's MATE, usually the Linux Mint versions, although I have just spent a day installing Ubuntu Trusty on my MacPro 1,1 (and making it look and feel like Linux Mint 17.3)