Ken Schneider wrote:
David C. Rankin J.D. P.E. wrote:
Ken Schneider wrote:
David C. Rankin J.D. P.E. wrote:
Mates,
For those that have not yet played with Compiz-fusion, I have grabbed a few screenshots of my laptop that show a few of the new features. I usually don't get that hyped up about desktops. I just want something that is clean, fast and that works. Compiz is something to get excited about. I has some new features that introduce a whole new way of doing things.
Of course there is the cube that you rotate to select the desktop you want (ctrl+alt+"grab desktop with mouse")
http://www.3111skyline.com/download/screenshot/compiz/compiz-rotate.png http://www.3111skyline.com/download/screenshot/compiz/compiz-rotate1.png http://www.3111skyline.com/download/screenshot/compiz/compiz-rotate3.png
A very improved task-switch: (alt+tab)
http://www.3111skyline.com/download/screenshot/compiz/compiz-tsk-switch.png
Switch Select is another great feature that allows you to cycle through the open applications on a desktop (shift+winKey*+s)
/mnt/nemesis-cfg/srv/www/download/screenshot/compiz/compiz-switchSelect.png
Another very cool feature shows all open applications tiled across the desktop just by moving the mouse to the top-right corner of the desktop. Notice the active application is white opaque while the inactive widows are semi-transparent. You can select any window or click on the desktop to minimize all apps and show the desktop:
http://www.3111skyline.com/download/screenshot/compiz/compiz-view3.png
* compiz uses <super> to denote the windows key, winKey makes more sense to me.
I have a question regarding compiz-fusion, is it possible to have more then 4 virtual desktops? I did the _one click_ install from http://en.opensuse.org/Compiz-Fusion#openSUSE_10.
On another PC and it reduced the number of defined desktops from 8 to 4. On my main desktop I usually have something open on at least 5 desktops and prefer to have more than 4 available.
Ken Ken,
I'm sure you can. Under compiz -> settings-manager -> General Options -> Desktop Size You can set as many horizontal sides as you want and as many desktops as you want. I have also seen the option to have multiple cubes as well.
For fun, while writing this response, I set horizontal virtual size to 6 and I ended up with a six-sided hexagon shaped cube. Really cool. See:
http://www.3111skyline.com/download/screenshot/compiz/compiz-rotate4.jpg
Thanks for the info, I'm adding this info here for others that might not want to try compiz thinking it may be to complex. After testing on my test machine I took the plunge and installed Compiz Fusion on my main PC. What a breeze it was.
1. Went to http://en.opensuse.org/Compiz-Fusion#openSUSE_10.3 and used the "one-click-install" to install the required packages and also the Compiz Manager.
2. Went to a terminal window and ran the following as root:
gnome-xgl-switch --enable-xgl
3. Reboot and login and it works.
I think it might be an easy thing to add to the install DVD for 11.0 as a one check box item to install the software and the enable command.
AS to Randall's comment, true it doesn't add to the multiple desktops that KDE has, just a different way of getting from one to another. As you said "eye candy"
Ken Schneider
Ken, I keep looking for things "I can't do" in compiz that would give me reason to argue a negative. But, damn, I haven't found any. Yes the "desktop" / "workspace" concept had to sink in, but there isn't a damn bit of difference when you stop and think about it. Just a different name and concept to accomplish the same thing. Now the multiple (insert your geometrical definition here) 5, 6, 7 , 8 sided (mmn huh mnnn CUBES) really show promise. If you don't like the cube, (ctrl+alt+downarrow) unfolds the cube and left arrow/right arrow scrolls each desktop of the unfolded (whatever) right in front of your eyes. Like I said, I'll still looking for the pitfalls and shortcomings, but none to share right now. We will delve into the rather (new) shortcut key combinations later because that has nothing to do with capabilities, only preference and style. The cool feature that scales all windows and arranges them on a workspace for you, that I couldn't recall the name, is obviously "scale" for which there is no replacement in kwin. Keep tinkering/kicking the tires and I bet you will still be looking for pitfalls, as opposed to finding them, as well. This is dynamite stuff. -- David C. Rankin, J.D., P.E. Rankin Law Firm, PLLC 510 Ochiltree Street Nacogdoches, Texas 75961 Telephone: (936) 715-9333 Facsimile: (936) 715-9339 www.rankinlawfirm.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org