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Or you can run Ubuntu and have it look and feel like XP.... I did this for my brother and he likes it.

http://ubuntu.online02.com/node/14

Sort of freaky how well it works and how much it feels like XP when all is said and done.

I'd sooner jump off a bridge than use KDE. What's next, are you going to tell me to use Emacs?

I'll stick with XPGnome and nano, thank you very much!

Regardless to how much you just 'say' to the contrary, people know and are comfortable with Windows, Linux desktops don't act or feel the same and that costs a lot of man hours. Not for people like you who can transition to a new OS rather easy, but for all the low level grunts who don't 'know how to use computers', but 'remember the series of clicks' to get their job done.

Haha hahaha heehee hahaaaa...

Oh! Sorry, I was momentarily distracted. You were saying...?

If a friend installed that "Windows" for you, you might want to see this:
http://ubuntu.online02.com/node/14

XPGnome is a XP look alike script that converts a Ubuntu Gnome distribution to look like Windows XP. Personally I don't think making it look like Windows XP is the best way to go, because it is not Windows XP.

Yes, if all they use is internet, IM, email, then the Windows 7 transition may no be as hard as you think.

You can make most Linux distributions look and feel like Windows XP, but the differences between XP and 7 will still be there with XP and skinned-Linux.

For example, the differences in the Control Panel, Volume Controls, New Dialogs will all be there.

Give one advanced relative Ubuntu and see how they like it. If your use-case proves successful, upgrade the rest one-by one. Just because you are the "technical" resource in the family doesn't mean the other relatives don't talk. Let them decide what they like. Ubuntu spreads word for itself with many non-"Power Users". If you really want to use this opportunity, just plant the seed.

-Tres

Make WinXP look like KDE http://www.tech-atom.com/windows/ultimate-linux-transformation-pack-for-windows-xp.html

Make GNOME look like WinXP http://ubuntu.online02.com/xpgnome

Make WinXP look likeUbuntu http://pc-hacks.blogspot.com/2007/10/make-up-over-your-windows-look-like.html

Make WinXP look like Enlightenment http://www.litestep.net/

Make Linux look like Win95 http://fvwm.org/

It all makes my head hurt.

The Linuxologist ran a story covering the video (and accompanying conversion script), mentioned by the OP, a while ago. Apparently there's an entire project for a gnome GUI conversion to make it look like XP.

I think it's pretty useful for convincing family members to make the switch to Ubuntu and cut down on personal Windows-related maintenance time.

Gnome that is magically identical to XP
The only issue is that he is made so good that officially he can get sued for trademark violation or some such IP law. You can always make a version that has no trademarks and looks exactly like XP desktop.
Not considering that Windows 7 looks more like Linux desktops nowadays.

I know there will be a lot of "haters" regarding this. However, if the hopes of smoothly transitioning users from MS Office to OpenOffice it will need to give an option to have a similar look and feel.

To transition non-tech employees to Linux, I used an XP theme on Ubuntu. http://ubuntu.online02.com/node/14

The transition was flawless.

Besides, I wonder how much money was spent by Microsoft on usability studies to come up with this interface. How much money has been spent on usability studies for OpenOffice? Might turn out to be a better way to work in the long run. Just because it is MS does not necessarily mean it is sh*t. That just seems to be the default.