The Fedora Core 18 Linux distribution will ship with the MATE and Cinnamon desktops available in the default repositories. This means that there are even more desktop options available by default on the Fedora Core distribution. This is a good step and will ensure that the users of this Linux distribution have even more choice in which desktop they can choose to use for their work. Previous Fedora releases had Xfce; KDE and Gnome as desktop choices; but this will be extended. The Linux Mint 14 distribution has the MATE and Cinnamon desktops available as well as the Unity desktop; so that distribution of the Linux kernel has a lot of choice for the desktop user. Linux is all about freedom of choice and if someone does not want to run the KDE or Gnome Shell desktops; they should have something else available to install. There are a list of the approved packages for MATE here: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/MATE-Desktop. You could easily build a classic RedHat Bluecurve styled desktop with MATE and the Bluecurve themes and icons that are available on the Internet. There is a nice package available here that allows installing the classic Bluecurve theme for the MATE desktop: http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Bluecurve+GNOME%2BMATE+Theme?content=148927. This would work fine for the Fedora Core 18 desktop.
It is planned for Fedora to include a dedicated spin for MATE; and hopefully for Cinnamon as well; then fans of every desktop would be catered for. Then everyone would be happy. Since the Linux Mint distribution has made the MATE desktop famous; it is about time that Fedora Core 18 users got to experience this desktop as well. There are a good selection of themes available for the Cinnamon desktop that will make it look even better than the default.
http://www.my-guides.net/en/guides/linux/288-8-themes-for-cinnamon-desktop-and-how-to-install-them. How to install some excellent themes for the Cinnamon desktop.
http://cinnamon-spices.linuxmint.com/themes. The Cinnamon themes page with a great choice of lovely themes.
https://bimsebasse.deviantart.com/art/Google-for-Cinnamon-306289501. A Google+ theme for Cinnamon.