Best way to show off Gnome/Compiz bells & whistles?

[Nixie Pixel]

Hello! I have been producing a series of Linux videos aimed at newbies, mostly featuring Ubuntu. I was asked to do them by a fellow from linuxhaxor.net to sort of introduce the idea that Linux isn't as hard as people make it out to be (I guess being female I somehow give this impression? :tongue:).

For my next video I would love to show off some of the great things that Compiz can do, and what people can do with their Ubuntu desktops. Only.. I'm a noob at making things pretty in Ubuntu and don't know where to start. Hell, it took me a long time just to figure out why I couldn't use Compiz Zoom :P.

So perhaps people can share with me the effects they like best, and perhaps the standard hotkeys for those effects? (and how to turn them on if they are off by default, using CCSM)

Also, I really don't know that much about themes and/or docks. Perhaps you can suggest some really eye-catching themes (hopefully their installation instructions are clear and easy to follow :)).

Thanks for all your help, I really would like to show off the best of what is a staggering number of options, and help people see just what Linux can do here.

[Tibuda]

I probably changed my hotkeys, but these are the plugins I use:

Scale: See all windows in current workspace pressing Shift+Alt+Click.
Expo: see all workspaces pressing Super+Click
Window previews: see windows thumbnails when you hover the taskbar buttons
Wobbly windows: useless fun when moving windows
Zoom: zoom in or out when you roll the mouse wheel pressing Super
Tile: tiles the current workspace windows when I press Shift+Super+X (requires the compiz-fusion-plugins-unsupported (apt:compiz-fusion-plugins-unsupported) package).


About themes, you should show the Dust and New Wave, which are good themes available by default in Jaunty. But don't forget to show Gnome Look (http://gnome-look.org). Most themes there can be installed using the Appearance preferences dialog. You can also browse the screenshot thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1175016) to see some great desktops.

Good luck with the video.

[Bölvaður]

Scale: See all windows in current workspace pressing Shift+Alt+Click.



if you use it often I'd say change it to be activated when your mouse cursor goes into the bottom left corner of your screen.

[Tibuda]

if you use it often I'd say change it to be activated when your mouse cursor goes into the bottom left corner of your screen.

Thanks, but I already used that, and I don't like it.

[SomeGuyDude]

if you use it often I'd say change it to be activated when your mouse cursor goes into the bottom left corner of your screen.

If you use it even more often, bind it to Alt-Tab.

[celticbhoy]

I use a customised Jaunty on my AAO at the pub I work in, and when workmates/customers see compiz in action they always double take. The ones that get them are the cube (I have it set to initiate on my middle mouse button), switching workspaces instead of switching windows. Expo set for my top right screen corner (combine using this and the cube one after the other to see complete confusion). And just the little open/close/minimize/maximize/roll up animations.

[celticbhoy]

On docks I would have a look at cairo-dock2.

[SomeGuyDude]

- Cube with three-dimensional windows
- Some of the crazy open/close/minimize animations
- Move window with 80% opacity

[celticbhoy]

You should also consider a look at things like conky/screenlets/google gadgets to show how easy it is to customise the desktop further.

[B00R4dL3y]

Change your Focus Animation to the Dodge. It looks cool when you click on a window in the back and the other windows in front slide out of the way to make room for the window in the back to slide up to the front.

[Viva]

No offence, you might convert a few genuine users from windows by showing the compix effects, but most will end up creating the "ZOMG Windows 7" threads.

[Nixie Pixel]

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

I'm not sure what the last message was intended to convey. You think I shouldn't make this video?

[monsterstack]

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

I'm not sure what the last message was intended to convey. You think I shouldn't make this video?

No, but there are lots of "How should I encourage my friends to use Ubuntu?" type threads around here which always gets lots of "Linux isn't a religion/let them decide for themselves/linux isn't ready for the desktop/mention don't preach!" type replies. Perhaps he thought it was one of those threads.

The zoom function is best used with a keybinding + scrollwheel. I use the Windows button and the mouse scroll for that. I use the Expo and Scale plugins by moving the mouse into the corners of the screen. The Scale plugin beats the pants off using alt-tab to switch applications, and it looks really cool. The Opacify plugin works well with the scroll wheel, too. Say you're in an instant chat and browsing your music collection at the same time. Forget switching between windows, just make the music app a bit transparent so you can see what your friend is banging on about underneath.

EDIT: Oh and make sure you use the fusion-icon programme.

Another EDIT: the gnome-art package is really useful for getting the best themes.

[Nixie Pixel]

Thanks again for the suggestions!


No, but there are lots of "How should I encourage my friends to use Ubuntu?" type threads around here which always gets lots of "Linux isn't a religion/let them decide for themselves/linux isn't ready for the desktop/mention don't preach!" type replies. Perhaps he thought it was one of those threads.
I'm not up on the forum etiquette, I guess. I just wanted to show off what Compiz can do, I'm not trying to evangelize. :p

[Nixie Pixel]

Bump to raise visibility in case people have more suggestions - I would like to begin working on this today, and this is very helpful!

[xpod]

Bump to raise visibility in case people have more suggestions - I would like to begin working on this today, and this is very helpful!

Heres a few more Compiz videos.They may give you some ideas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4wB3GUemVw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUSn-jBA3CE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Fbk52Mk1w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC5uEe5OzNQ

[Nixie Pixel]

if you use it often I'd say change it to be activated when your mouse cursor goes into the bottom left corner of your screen.
Can you please tell me how to do this? It doesn't seem intuitive from the settings manager.

[HappyFeet]

you might convert a few genuine users from windows by showing the compix effects, but most will end up creating the "ZOMG Windows 7" threads.

So be it. It's OK if people don't like linux. It's for people that actually care about their experience.

[DeadSuperHero]

Be incredibly subtle. Hold a slumber party, and slip a knockout drug in the Mountain Dew. When your friends awaken, they will be bolted into chairs with their eyelids held open by a small clawlike contraption. The video playing will be your desktop, with the music of your choice.

Do it for about 7 hours, or at least until they agree to switch.