Desktop Cube/Wall useful?

[Turtleman]

Hey I got a question to you ppl:

Do you use desktop cube/wall and find it necessary to you, or do you think its just a useless feature?

[raymondh]

I use the cube and I have gotten the habit of using each desktop for a preferred app whenever I'm in front of this computer. So, yes, for me it has been useful.

[kk0sse54]

I find them generally useless

[Dharmachakra]

I always use the desktop wall... sometimes with expo and sometimes just straight up. I don't use cube simply because it's more time and, to me, isn't as smooth as expo.

[binbash]

If you are making the cube full transparant and need to keep eye on something on the other desktop, it is very useful.you don't need to rotate the cube :).

[Turtleman]

I use the cube and I have gotten the habit of using each desktop for a preferred app whenever I'm in front of this computer. So, yes, for me it has been useful.

Sounds like a good use for it. Do you know if it is possible to change the wallpaper in each desktop?

[joey-elijah]

The cube is just a fancy-pants way of switching workspaces and workspaces have been a feature of Linux in general for years... and now OS X. They're very helpful :)

Obviously the compiz bling for switching between spaces helps - i find it quicker to scroll the scrollwheel on my mouse than to add a spaces applet to Gnome panel and navigate to it. :)

[SpriteSODA]

im using Ubuntu as my sole OS for 8 months and I seldom use more than one workspace.

[Bölvaður]

If you are making the cube full transparant and need to keep eye on something on the other desktop, it is very useful.you don't need to rotate the cube :).

yeah I did that like the first week I began using linux, but it is not often you'd need such a feature ;)

I often dont have compiz enabled, but what I really hate about gnome is that you cannot just drag the windows onto the next workspace, so currently I have compiz on with the wall.

[Turtleman]

I've got Ubuntu recently and used Windows all my life, and this is one of the features I am trying to figure out why is it there. I guess the usefullness really depends on the person.

[doas777]

its as useless as any animation. sometimes they are helpful because they provide a more visible cue to the user that the action is being performed. just reinforces the feedback loop.

I prefer it to the sliding or flashing approach, because i can see it happen. Now that i think about it, I like being able to drag windows to adjacent workspaces, so I guess that's a benefit I don't get without compiz.

[lethalfang]

The eye candy of a rotating cube is of course not useful, but kinda cool. On the other hand, I find multiple workspace useful: I use 4.
I would often have one workspace with my browser and email client, one for my computational stuff (e.g., MATLAB, the associated script editor, and everything I need to compute my stuff), one for my document editing (e.g., kile, inkscape, and everything that I need to make my document), and one with terminals.

[raymondh]

Sorry for the hijack ... this is a quick reply to turtleman's inquiry.


Sounds like a good use for it. Do you know if it is possible to change the wallpaper in each desktop?

I have not tried it yet but as far as I know, it's possible. However, it'll require disabling nautilus and it's "hold or drawing" on the desktop (if you're using gnome). That means no icons when you disable nautilus. Otherwise, your wallpapers (thru compiz) will be hidden/messed up.

To change ... desktop cube > appearance > background images

Back to the original OP thread. Sorry again.

[nobodysbusiness]

I definitely use workspaces all day, every day. A tip: set up keyboard shortcuts to switch workspaces. I use ALT-1, ALT-2, etc. to switch. It makes it much faster and more convenient.

Edit: oh, right. And about the multiple wallpapers per desktop, I have that set up. I've tried a few things to get it working with icons, and eventually just gave up. I was spending way too much time on it. If anyone knows how to make it work, please let me know!

[RiceMonster]

It's useless, but if you enjoy the eye candy, that's fine. I just like shadows and real transparency personally (which is also useless).

[Skripka]

I find Cube useless...Wall, I won't be parted with-for my style of multitasking across desktops it is a winner.

[stwschool]

For me the cube's useless, I prefer my expo as I can see all 8 of my workspaces at once and drag things back and forth between them, it makes window management so much easier and definitely smooths out my work flow.

[Giant Speck]

In my opinion:

Compiz Cube = useless
Compiz Expo = extremely useful

[oldos2er]

I use the wall (with five workspaces) all the time.

[arsenic23]

The only thing that is useful about the cube is the fact that there isn't any more efficiant way to switch workplaces with the mouse then setting the cube up to flip with your scroll wheel on the edges. I've used several different programs to do that in the past and compiz is the smoothest by far.


That said I have the animation speed set to super fast so you don't really notice the cube on my system.

[drawkcab]

expo is more useful than the cube but they are not mutually exclusive

both work for surveying your various desktops at a glance

[MysticalRiotCandy]

My systems are older, and although they can run Cube, it's painfully slow. In my opinion, Desktop Wall has a much smoother, more graceful look to it. Besides that, I had a lot of fun putting 12x8 workspaces and making my computer look like the Wall of TVs ad.

[Paqman]

I <3 the cube. I wish I had it on my Windows machines at work. I have four screens and two PCs to try and manage all the different apps we use. If we were using Linux I could put it all on the cube and we'd only need half as many PCs.

The weird thing is I never used to like workspaces before they were made 3D. For some reason arranging them in space seems to work in my brain in a way that the pre-Compiz/Beryl setup never did.

[Kimm]

I've got Ubuntu recently and used Windows all my life, and this is one of the features I am trying to figure out why is it there. I guess the usefullness really depends on the person.

If you mean the virtual desktopts, I didn't really use them when I started using Linux either, but I've grown quite found of them.

I find them particularly useful when working on something that requires that I have tons of windows open, for example when writing reports and I need to be able to quickly access several PDF documents for references, I can keep those on a separate desktop, and if I need to edit a picture in The GIMP for the same report I can keep that on its own desktop, and perhaps a web browser on its own desktop.

If you mean the cube effect, that's just bling ^^

[Kareeser]

It very much depends on how you utilise your workspace. Many Windows users simply get used to the constraint of one workspace, and I did as well. That's why I ended up buying a second monitor.

With my dual-head setup, tasks that require two windows (and granted, there are very few that do...) are much easier.

Composing/transcribing music, for one, and graphics production is easier. I can see similar benefits for music production. It's very nice to have a PDF on one screen and the composition application on the other, both maximized.

I currently use four workspaces. Primary, Chat, Rhythmbox, and Email. Rhythmbox can minimize, but I prefer it open in any case.

With my dual head setup, I use two workspaces.

So in this case, Desktop wall is great! I am definitely a fan of the sliding.

[Metallion]

I <3 the cube. I wish I had it on my Windows machines at work.

Actually you can easily get this on windows. I've used windows pager before and it has served me well.
http://windowspager.sourceforge.net/

There's even another one that actualy comes with that cube effect that compiz has. Only a very old version of it can be had as freeware and I don't remember the name unfortunately.

On topic: Multiple workspaces might even be THE feature that I miss most in windows. They're great for keeping a nice and unclutted overview of your opened applications. I usually leave my mail client open on one, music player on another one and the main stuff I do on yet another one.

[Paqman]

Actually you can easily get this on windows. I've used windows pager before and it has served me well.
http://windowspager.sourceforge.net/


No use for me i'm afraid.

Not my machine = no admin rights. I can use portable apps to get Open Office/Firefox/etc, but can't actually install anything.

[Giant Speck]

Actually you can easily get this on windows. I've used windows pager before and it has served me well.
http://windowspager.sourceforge.net/


I've seen that before.

I really wish there was a program that emulates the Compiz Expo plugin, especially the ability to drag windows between desktops.

[Metallion]

I've seen that before.

I really wish there was a program that emulates the Compiz Expo plugin, especially the ability to drag windows between desktops.

Well, windowspager more or less allows you to do that. If you hold control I believe, you can drag those tiny windows previews in the taskbar.

To Paqman: Sorry to hear that. Can't an admin install it for you?

[Giant Speck]

Well, windowspager more or less allows you to do that. If you hold control I believe, you can drag those tiny windows previews in the taskbar.

That's not quite what I'm talking about. I want to actually see the window go from one desktop to the other like with the Expo plugin.

Here is a screenshot to demonstrate what I mean:

[chucky chuckaluck]

useful = drinking water
not useful = drinking beer

useful isn't always preferable.

[Metallion]

That's not quite what I'm talking about. I want to actually see the window go from one desktop to the other like with the Expo plugin.

Here is a screenshot to demonstrate what I mean:

I know. That's why the "more or less" is there in my post. :)

Even though windowspager is still flawed compared to it's big *nix brothers, it has made my Windows life a lot easier.

[doas777]

useful = drinking water
not useful = drinking beer

useful isn't always preferable.


well said.

you don't need beer to survive, but you do need it to WANT to survive. now the questions is do we need to want to survive?

[Firestem4]

I use the cube because its fun to show off. =P.

And its not ENTIRELY useless. YOu just need to find the uses for it. (IE: showing off)

[durand]

I use expo and scale extensively from the corner of the desktop. I use the cube sometimes to get an idea of what windows are open everywhere.

[evermooingcow]

Am I the only one who thinks desktop effects actually get in the way of productivity? Not because they are flashy and distracting - not the main reason anyway. The main reason is time.

Every time I minimize/maximize a window or switch desktops I have to wait for the animation to end. Sure its only a second or two - no big deal but how many times do you do something on the desktop that triggers effects that you have to wait for before you can resume? I remember one in particular that every time I closed a window it would break the window into many small 3-d cubes and gradually dissipate into the background. This was very annoying and I found myself trying to see through the mess because I needed to read the text below.

Cool effects eventually get old and all that is left is the waiting time and unnecessarily wasted resources. I think in the end minimal+efficient wins.

I'm not saying that my time is worth enough for seconds or minutes to matter at all but I just hate waiting..

[durand]

Am I the only one who thinks desktop effects actually get in the way of productivity? Not because they are flashy and distracting - not the main reason anyway. The main reason is time.

Every time I minimize/maximize a window or switch desktops I have to wait for the animation to end. Sure its only a second or two - no big deal but how many times do you do something on the desktop that triggers effects that you have to wait for before you can resume? I remember one in particular that every time I closed a window it would break the window into many small 3-d cubes and gradually dissipate into the background. This was very annoying and I found myself trying to see through the mess because I needed to read the text below.

Cool effects eventually get old and all that is left is the waiting time and unnecessarily wasted resources. I think in the end minimal+efficient wins.

I'm not saying that my time is worth enough for seconds or minutes to matter at all but I just hate waiting..

I agree. Which is why I changed all the times for the animations to be about 20% faster. It makes a huge difference. I also rebinded Alt+Tab to the shift switcher. It's kinda annoying sometimes but its a nice distraction from work... :popcorn:

[mp3_freak_721]

There's even another one that actualy comes with that cube effect that compiz has. Only a very old version of it can be had as freeware and I don't remember the name unfortunately.


I think ur talking about Yod'm 3D. Now called Deskspace.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yod'm_3D

There is some download links at the bottom or you could just do Google search. But back to the topic on hand, I like the wall better. It runs on my pc better but the cube is fun though.

[Paqman]

To Paqman: Sorry to hear that. Can't an admin install it for you?

Highly unlikely. Any new software has to be fromally requested and supported by a business need. Even trying to get the full version of Adobe is like getting blood out of a stone. Requests for random eye candy apps will just get laughed at.



Every time I minimize/maximize a window or switch desktops I have to wait for the animation to end.

You can change the timings. And/or switch off any animations that you don't want. I find setting my animations to be really fast makes the machine feel faster. Ridiculous I know, but it does make it more enjoyable to use.

[lisati]

I haven't used it ("the cube") yet. The laptop I regularly use for Ubuntu isn't particularly well-endowed with RAM, so I'm (pleasantly) surprised that the regular Gnome desktop that comes with a "standard" installation works as well as it does on this machine.

[hessiess]

The cube is completly useless, Tiling WM's are much more effecent anyway.

[xpod]

Re: Desktop Cube/Wall useful?

Regardless of peoples personal preferences there can be no denying that the Compiz Cube & Co have had their uses.Just look at all the new users purely because of some Compiz You Tube videos after all.

I usually have the wall,scale & expo enabled although with 2 big screens i dont have quite as much need for the extra workspaces.

[chucky chuckaluck]

i've used openbox more than anything else, but one thing that always irritated me was how it would just dump every newly opened app onto the pile that was already there. the 'opening under mouse' option is a little better, but not always doable (i guess there's a way to configure it better, but that's not going to happen with me). the 'smart' placement option and expo have made me a compiz convert (that's when i'm not being a kde4 convert).

[durand]

i've used openbox more than anything else, but one thing that always irritated me was how it would just dump every newly opened app onto the pile that was already there. the 'opening under mouse' option is a little better, but not always doable (i guess there's a way to configure it better, but that's not going to happen with me). the 'smart' placement option and expo have made me a compiz convert (that's when i'm not being a kde4 convert).

I don't seem to have that problem on crunchbang/openbox. Screenshot attached.

I'm new to openbox so I have no idea which part of the config to post..

[rpwdh]

I've just started using the cube so I really can't say it's "useful".

Honestly I was drawn to it for the eye candy.

I am hoping to get more familiar with it so I can get the most from it.

[chriskin]

Hey I got a question to you ppl:

Do you use desktop cube/wall and find it necessary to you, or do you think its just a useless feature?

i use the cube, and i find it both useful and beautiful

[kk0sse54]

I don't seem to have that problem on crunchbang/openbox. Screenshot attached.

I'm new to openbox so I have no idea which part of the config to post..

I believe you just proved his point :p

[durand]

I believe you just proved his point :p

I thought he meant that the windows were piled over each other. This is somewhat smarter..

[chucky chuckaluck]

the first pic is the way openbox does it, by default (crunchbang may have tinkered with the configuration so that it wouldn't do this, but that's the part that's over my head). the second pic is how 'smart placement' does it in compiz. (in both cases, thunar was opened before urxvt. i had to simulate openbox as i've already dumped it.)

[durand]

the first pic is the way openbox does it, by default (crunchbang may have tinkered with the configuration so that it wouldn't do this, but that's the part that's over my head). the second pic is how 'smart placement' does it in compiz. (in both cases, thunar was opened before urxvt. i had to simulate openbox as i've already dumped it.)

Compiz is indeed good at window placement. I guess that you don't need the openbox config now that you've dumped it? I use both ubuntu and crunchbang, ubuntu for work and crunchbang for games.

[chucky chuckaluck]

Compiz is indeed good at window placement. I guess that you don't need the openbox config now that you've dumped it? I use both ubuntu and crunchbang, ubuntu for work and crunchbang for games.

yeah, there are other things i like about compiz; emerald decorations, expo and the pretty stuff (fades, water, shadows, etc.).

[subdivision]

Hey I got a question to you ppl:

Do you use desktop cube/wall and find it necessary to you, or do you think its just a useless feature?

I've never found it to be useful in any way, shape, or form. It is, however, very pretty.

[durand]

Compiz and gnome are the two things that tie me to ubuntu. I can't imagine doing real work with a minimalist desktop. Oh and I can't use electric sheep + xwinwrap in openbox, thats kinda annoying..

[RiceMonster]

Compiz and gnome are the two things that tie me to ubuntu. I can't imagine doing real work with a minimalist desktop.

why? Just wondering, because I find compiz distracting.

[subdivision]

Compiz and gnome are the two things that tie me to ubuntu. I can't imagine doing real work with a minimalist desktop.

I would seriously love to hear how that cube makes you more productive.

[chucky chuckaluck]

Compiz and gnome are the two things that tie me to ubuntu. I can't imagine doing real work with a minimalist desktop. Oh and I can't use electric sheep + xwinwrap in openbox, thats kinda annoying..

i'm using compiz alone in arch and i've used gnome on various occasions (until that whim passes), so i don't see why those items would tie you to ubuntu. and, i don't understand how gnome could make you more productive. what are you producing? (hope that's not too naive a question.)

what are electric sheep and xwinwrap? (is this a joke going over my head?)

[durand]

Because minimalist desktops feel empty and when I'm working, I usually have about 10 applications open. IM, open office, inkscape, opera and a few others so it's much easier to organise with a cube because I can just rotate it and see where each window is. I usually organise the windows by need so I have opera and inkscape together, IM on its own on the last desktop, etc. I only find compiz distracting if I actually pay attension to it. After using it for so long, it just feels like normal to move my cursor to the top left edge and get an overview of my desktops and the top right edge for an overview of my programs. I was tempted to add an extra row of desktops but I didn't think I would find a use for all of them.

chucky, I generally have school coursework to do and I use inkscape to make diagrams and opera for research, open office for writing it obviously. Now that school is almost over, I might not need to do that..Unless uni is the same :S
Electric sheep are fractal screensavers, very cool, totally counter productive but it's nice to keep it playing on my desktop while I'm relaxing.
http://electricsheep.org/

xwinwrap is a program that lets you run applications on your desktop semi transparent so that you can see nautilus at the same time. I don't use a desktop on openbox but I can't think of another way to get the same effect as with compiz.
http://tech.shantanugoel.com/projects/linux/shantz-xwinwrap

[chucky chuckaluck]

so, it's more a preference thing rather than being actually prevented from being productive by minimalism? one could certainly, easily, keep track of one's open apps and desktops with openbox's middle click menu (probably more efficiently so).

[durand]

True but the cube's visual approach really seems to stick in my mind.

[subdivision]

so, it's more a preference thing rather than being actually prevented from being productive by minimalism? one could certainly, easily, keep track of one's open apps and desktops with openbox's middle click menu (probably more efficiently so).

Off topic but I didn't realize openbox had a middle click menu. Thanks!

[xpod]

The cube is quite handy when using multiple OS`s via virtual machine i`d say.So is any other desktop switcher i suppose but i guess i`ve just never got over knowing nothing about any OS to scrolling through multiple ones with that flipping cube:p

[chucky chuckaluck]

Off topic but I didn't realize openbox had a middle click menu. Thanks!

it may not work in freebsd. b'dum-ching!1

[xl_cheese]

I find the expo very useful. I made a hot corner in the top left so I just have to stick the mouse there and blam! I can choose a desktop.

[subdivision]

it may not work in freebsd. b'dum-ching!1
D'oh!

Good thing I use Arch. ;)

[MaxIBoy]

Hey I got a question to you ppl:

Do you use desktop cube/wall and find it necessary to you, or do you think its just a useless feature?Yes, it helps when there's actual physics on the desktop. In the case of the cube, when it's animated that way, that gets noticed in a more primitive part of my brain, it just comes naturally for me to know exactly what workspace I'm on, without having to think about it.

[Mister LinOx]

yeah I did that like the first week I began using linux, but it is not often you'd need such a feature ;)

I often dont have compiz enabled, but what I really hate about gnome is that you cannot just drag the windows onto the next workspace, so currently I have compiz on with the wall.

Yes, but you can in Xubuntu! :D

[chucky chuckaluck]

D'oh!

Good thing I use Arch. ;)

i guess, 'over there', you might be considered 'a stranger in the house of love'.

[subdivision]

i guess, 'over there', you might be considered 'a stranger in the house of love'.

Not like you'd think, actually.

[necromanga]

useless...

[cmat]

Doesn't have to be useful, sometimes people use things simply because they are pretty. Oil paintings and sculptures are pretty useless, so is your desktop wallpaper.