OK, so out of that i got the following:
compiz is no longer supported in its original form. Terrible. Its by far the most advanced and comprehensive composite manager available.
and AMD cards are not so good for Linux, get Nvidia... which i just may do... as i am extremely unhappy with ati/amd.
I noticed the theme "gtkrc" files are different between gtk2 and gtk3, so much so i cant even try to blend them together... (which i tired and failed miserably..)
As for the root thing, i failed to properly explain. when i apply a theme, lets just use Ultimate Edition 2.6 for example, the theme applies to the menus and the panel, but if i open up a file manager as root, Nautilus is theme-less, or if i open up Control Center its theme-less or any other interaction i make with elevated privileges is theme-less. i assume thats because the themes are not made for gtk3 which is what MATE is built on... Correct?
Here is a link to another post with a screenshot of the issue i am having. notice several of the areas are white.
viewtopic.php?f=123&t=9535&p=79682#p79682I also noticed that 3.5.2 has 2 different choices for appearance settings in the Control Center, where as 3.4.2 does not and i also noticed TheeMan has posted something about a theme repair tool and this leads me to believe that the 2nd tool thats in 3.5.2 and not in 3.4.2 is this tool he has created. is there a way for me to d/l that tool and apply it to 3.4.2.