Do you still use Compiz?

[mangar]

I have a gut feeling that most users turn off Compiz after a while,
because it's slow, buggy, and unstable.

Gut feeling are worthless beyond 80's movies, so lets collects some data.

Please Vote!

Clarification:
The reason is not as important as the outcome - if you want to use Compiz but can't, it's still a No..
:popcorn:

[HavocXphere]

I can't use it. It's broken.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/351186
:(

[SupaSonic]

Don't use it. Don't like it much, it's somewhat slow and i see little point in it.

[Viva]

It is not slow or buggy or unstable for me, so I use it. I turn it off for games tho.

[linuxguymarshall]

Maybe when trying to show-off Ubuntu to somebody but when I am just doing general computing I have it off.

[mobilediesel]

Compiz was pretty cool for about 5 minutes although you don't really "use" Compiz as it doesn't really do anything useful.

[akudewan]

Compiz was pretty cool for about 5 minutes although you don't really "use" Compiz as it doesn't really do anything useful.

Its quite useful for me. I use the Enhanced Desktop Zoom all the time, thanks to my poor eyesight. I also keep gkrellm in the widget layer. Makes it very easy to bring it up when I need it.

And not very useful, but windows don't feel right unless they wobble :)

Luckily I've had no/negligible issues with compiz.

[kimda]

When it first came out I thought it was nice eye candy and nothing more. Now I use it on my PC and just love the functions like the scale function to show me all the programs I started in Gnome.

[shavenlunatic]

you don't really "use" Compiz as it doesn't really do anything useful.

I beg to differ.

Most of the showcase compiz stuff is indeed not so useful (wobbly windows and cube are the main offenders.... ick :o)... but there are two (well... 3) fantastic features I couldn't live without:

Scale (The clone of OSX Expose`) - Have it on corner-activation, move your mouse to the corner, it shows all open windows from all desktops (scaled down), just click on the one you want, the rest just disappear to where they came from - much better than alt/super + tabbing through coverflow or app names imo

Expo (if you use multiple desktops) can be much easier and faster than any of the other tools (Cube, Wall etc.) allowing you to rearrange stuff while zoomed out to a flat representation of your desktops

Water - ok, i just like it, splashing around in virtual water relaxes me when I'm getting a bit stressed :)

[pablopancho]

On my laptop Compiz is quite unreliable and after couple of minutes it gets annoying - so I turned it off permanently.

On my parents' desktop I left minimal settings but only because it doesn't seem to cause any problems.

[kpkeerthi]

My GPU is plenty powerful. I use it.

> The rendering of windows, when the apps open/close/being dragged, is smooth and silk as it is offloaded to the GPU.

> No matter what anyone says, the Scale, Expo, Desktop Wall & Screenshot plugins do provide usability improvements.

> I have a whole lot Window Rules tailored to my needs. I control size, position and placement on different workspaces with it.

I only use simple fade effect. Wobbly windows, Desktop Cubes, Water/Snow/Rain/Flood/blah blah and other desktop effects like flame etc are disabled.

[Regenweald]

Properly configured, compiz is very fast and has a small memory footprint. I've removed metacity and use compiz exclusively.

[mcduck]

Sure, why not. I has been pretty stable on all my machines from the very beginning, and has many nice & useful features.

I don't actually like the default configurations, but selecting the plugins and features I actually use and tweaking the settings to be rather subtle enhancements of the UI than in-your-face attack of flashy effects I find Compiz one of the most useful components of my desktop.

I bet those of you who grow tired of Compiz quickly simply enable too many effects and things which does make Compiz annoying.

[jamillikan]

Without question Compiz fusion is quite compelling and awesome. I cannot imagine working without it. I never turn it off, not for movies, not for games, nada. Works beautifully here.

IMO it increases productivity by providing a robust environment within which to work. I didn't realize it was even a question. That's always the first thing I install after installing Ubuntu, followed by Cairo Dock from France. We simply cannot live without Compiz fusion.

Joe

[RazVayne]

It couldnt withstand the awesomeness of Openbox and commited uninstall-puku.

Yeah yeah,unused RAM is wasted RAM...

[sertse]

Exactly, user turning on too many effects is the main cause of dissatisfaction, not Compiz. Used subtly, Compiz enhances the user experience.

[Ms_Angel_D]

Expo (if you use multiple desktops) can be much easier and faster than any of the other tools (Cube, Wall etc.) allowing you to rearrange stuff while zoomed out to a flat representation of your desktops

I too really enjoy expo

Also Window previews, I find quite handy, as well as the Group & Tab window plugin.

I played with cube & such when I first discovered Ubuntu and compiz, but now I use it more the helpful plugins then the eye candy.

[billgoldberg]

I have a gut feeling that most users turn off Compiz after a while,
because it's slow, buggy, and unstable.

Gut feeling are worthless beyond 80's movies, so lets collects some data.

Please Vote!

Clarification:
The reason is not as important as the outcome - if you want to use Compiz but can't, it's still a No..
:popcorn:

If I use Gnome, I use Compiz Fusion. It's that simple.

But I recently switched from Ubuntu to Fedora and OpenSuse, both KDE.

I feel KWin has some nice effects, not as advanced as Compiz Fusion, but still enough for me.

Kwin also has an Expo effect that you can assign to a windows edge, otherwise I would have use Compiz because I can't live without that.

So, No.


I must say that Compiz Fusion is stable for me and performs very well.

[daverich]

I use metacity with it's compositing because Compiz performs like a dog on my intel gpu.

REALLY looking forward to the next ubuntu release.

Kind regards

Dave Rich

[xpod]

I notice a lot of people seem to go through a phase with Compiz.
At first it`s quite possibly what attracted them to Ubuntu/Linux but then a few months and couple of hundred terminal commands later they then see themselves as far too leet....for want of a better term ....to need fancy eye candy like Compiz.They often prefer Arch installs & tiling Window managers by this time.A natural progression some may say:D

Me...i started using Beryl a couple of months after discovering Ubuntu(6.06 at the time) and along with Compiz-fusion,as it was to become,i`ve always had it around on my main Ubuntu install since then.
Like previous posters have mentioned there are quite a few useful plugins and i do like that fluid like feel that Compiz adds to the Desktop.
I`ve never had real problems using it,even back when i was running it on less than worthy hardware.
I dont use it on any of the other installs i mess about with on occasion but i have become accustomed to my scale,expo & wall etc.

[gn2]

I find desktop effects to be like website flash animations, intensely annoying, which is why I don't use them.

[SomeGuyDude]

Compiz is my windowmanager. It uses less resources than XFCE, and the load is only marginally higher than Openbox (as in at idle I'm using 6% CPU instead of 4%). So, yes. I'm usin' it.

[WorfSOM]

I have a gut feeling that most users turn off Compiz after a while,
because it's slow, buggy, and unstable.


In YOUR opinion.

I have run Compiz on a variety of machines, most of which are low-end (at least by todays standards), and never had a problem.

I did experience problems with Beryl back when it was a seperate project, but certainly not with Compiz.

[RiceMonster]

I've never used it for longer than half an hour. I use the Xfwm4 compositor. No bugs there and doesn't go over the top.

[Daisuke_Aramaki]

never used it, and probably never will.

[jprophet420]

it works great for me and i use it all the time.

[MaxIBoy]

I use the latest 0.8 version, which is actually incredibly fast vs. 0.7.x.

[pwnst*r]

I have a gut feeling that most users turn off Compiz after a while,
because it's slow, buggy, and unstable.



i have a feeling you're mistaken.

[mangar]

@WorfSOM
I guess you missed the line immediately after what you've quoted:
<quote>
Gut feeling are worthless beyond 80's movies, so lets collect some data.
</quote>

It's not an opinion, it's a guess..

@pwnst*r
That's why I'm using a poll, rather than a discussion..
The current data seems to be that ~50% do not use Compiz. That's quite significant.

[pwnst*r]

@WorfSOM
I guess you missed the line immediately after what you've quoted:
<quote>
Gut feeling are worthless beyond 80's movies, so lets collect some data.
</quote>

It's not an opinion, it's a guess..

@pwnst*r
That's why I'm using a poll, rather than a discussion..
The current data seems to be that ~50% do not use Compiz. That's quite significant.

but i don't think it's because of the reasons you state. my guess is either they don't care for that extra whizbam and/or their graphics card is not up to snuff.

[lukjad]

It caused my install to crash within 30 minutes. Hmmm... No. I will not use it.

[SomeGuyDude]

I have a gut feeling that most users turn off Compiz after a while,
because it's slow, buggy, and unstable.

But your poll doesn't separate it like that. I didn't use Compiz for a long time just because Openbox is faster.

Then I didn't use Compiz because my INTEL DRIVER was cracked out and Compiz wasn't working right (meaning the problem wasn't Compiz's fault).

So... things need worked on, here.

[MikeTheC]

+1 for Compiz

Now if only we could get Canonical to put icons on the desktop by default, life would be truly idyllic.

[montini]

Compiz was pretty cool for about 5 minutes although you don't really "use" Compiz as it doesn't really do anything useful.

It does. One tool which has happened to become irreplaceable for me was the ability to zoom into screen realtime ("Windows"+MouseWheel) - it makes reading far more easier.

[Cammy]

Compiz/Emerald is my default. It's not slow, buggy, or unstable for me at all. I've not had a single problem with it at all, other than some funky titlebar artifacts under Feisty that were easily fixed.

In fact I think it actually runs better for me in Jaunty than it did in Hardy.

[mangar]

I'm not trying to blame any party. I'm looking for the end result.

So far, 75% use a compositing WM, hence, it's a wanted feature. 50% use compiz, hence, it's the most popular choice. 50% Do not use Compiz, even though it's the default WM on the default, and vastly most popular flavor of Ubuntu, and that's an interesting result.

If you wish, you can create a poll with whatever options you find useful, for whatever purposes you'd like :)

[Jimleko211]

I use Compiz. It looks cool, I love the fluid motion of the wobbly windows, and my system is awesome enough I never have to turn it off :D

[Simian Man]

I use it all of the time, never had a problem even when playing games (native or with wine). Another great feature is the little zoom box. Being able to zoom in when doing graphics work is awesome.

I also love it for giving presentations off my laptop; the highlighter that works across applications and the fullscreen zoom are handy.

[Therion]

I use it and have zero issues with it. Scale is tremendously useful as is being able to move windows onto a separate desktop to keep stuff I don't need routinely out of sight and out of my way, but yet still quickly findable if I do need something. Zoom is nice to have and I like the (minimized) button preview feature. Personally, I find there's a lot of useful stuff Compiz, not just eye-candy.

Granted I don't feel compelled to paint my screen with fire either, but the power of Compiz goes way beyond the flashy eye-candy; you just have to be willing to do a certain amount of research on what the plugins actually DO a lot of the time and how to configure them.

Then too I have 4GB of system RAM and an nVidia 8000 series video card to crush Compiz into submission. If it started acting buggy, or unstable in any way, shape or form, I'd drop it like a bad habit.

[sertse]

The problem is that, as demonstrated by some of the sort of replies here, they look down on Compiz, feel they are "better" as they don't, that Compiz is just about flashy gimmicks etc. Those sort of replies deserved to be called out on and exposed for being misconceptions.

Compiz is more than that. It's a application that provides ways to manage your desktop and windows. Other have really mentioned how scale or expo have improved their productivity for example..

[Pogeymanz]

I've been using Compiz for a little while now, after a long relationship with Openbox.

I have to say, Compiz is pretty awesome. It has some useful things that you just can't do with other WM's such as scale (okay, you can use skippy, but I could never get it to work right) and expo and many others.

The only thing I don't like about Compiz is that it has to use viewports instead of workspaces. This makes it harder to find windows when I use my middle-click menu in XFCE since all windows appear on the same workspace. It also means that I can't drag windows from one viewport to another via the workspace switcher in the XFCE-panel.

But I've never had a stability problem with Compiz. Although, I didn't like that it was turned on by default when I installed Ubuntu on a 6 year old computer with intel graphics. It handled Ubuntu much better once I turned Compiz off and uninstalled it.

[Ace1989]

It isn't slow for me, because I am not poor.

[MickS]

I use it all the time but now that the novelty has worn off I tend to keep the settings a bit more subtle than I used to, no more folding airplanes for example.

Mick

[satipera]

It is something a lot of us play with for a while then forget about. I have forgotten about it.

[hessiess]

I have never used compiz, exept for the short amount of time that it tackes to tern it off ;)

[doas777]

I use compiz on boxes that can handle it, thought I primarily use the presets, with only minor tweaks.

the only real reason i've had to turn it off, are weak hardware, or if it's a terminal that I need to vnc into regularly. other than that, it only causes a problem when i'm playing arround with settings that i don't understand.

once they have somthing better, i'll use it. until then, I am happy with compiz, and get pissed when I see metacity's crap approach to transparency (especially on terminal windows).

[evermooingcow]

I once tried it to see what it was all about, played with it for a few hours then turned it off.

Same with aero when Vista first came out. I was facinated and played with it for about 20 min then switched to classic.

Desktop effects actually add to my daily frusteration because I'm very impatient. I don't like waiting for anything - not even the split second of desktop animation that takes place between opening/closing a window or switching desktops. I want my window rendered in less time than it takes for me to react to it.

In reality a single instance of a split second makes no difference but multiply that by the number of times you need to perform desktop operations that launch an animation sequence. Thats what gets me in the end. I guess in effect I lose the sense of "snappiness" on my desktop when I find myself waiting all the time.

[aysiu]

If I'm using Gnome, I'll use Compiz, because I do think some of the effects are pretty (not as smooth as Mac OS X, but that's okay).

If I want absolutely speed and performance, I use IceWM instead of Gnome.

[collinp]

Whenever I am in GNOME (which is getting rarer and rarer since I started using wmii), I use compiz. I turn it off when I go to play games, since it kills my GFX card for some reason.

[zenxi]

I disabled it right after it crashed for the first time in ubuntu 7.10 ^^ havnt used it since

[subdivision]

I never use it.

[cubeist]

I think there is a misconception about compiz... it seems that the majority of people think this is some kind of eye-candy app...it isn't. I would argue the opposite, compiz is an absolutely essential piece of software for productive work.

My top suggestions are:

Don't use the cube. Most people don't think dimensionally. Instead we naturally think in a linear manner. Therefore, using the desktop wall and expo in a 2x2 pattern is very effective for managing your windows / projects.

Utilize the group and tab plugin for a clean workspace...less clutter. Ie, when using Gimp, you can tab your drawing space and tools together and switch between with a convenient hotkey...this is a very effective workflow.

Then there are many useful smaller things, like trailfocus, screenshot, app switcher/shift switcher, and wallpaper

[aysiu]

There are workspaces without Compiz. I don't understand your case for Compiz making you more productive.

[cmay]

on open solaris yes. on linux no. on linux i do not even install the restricted drivers. flash or any codecs if it is my main system for webbrowsing and other stuff. i only do that on the machine i need to use for watching movies (sort of a media center installation using ubuntu)

[wersdaluv]

In my case, switching workspaces is faster with compiz than metacity. I don' know why.

Other than that, compiz makes me more productive by letting me switch between windows much faster than any other window manager I tried (including any version of Windows or OS X). In less than a second, I can switch to a desired window by activating the scale plugin then typing the first letters of the window title then pressing enter.

Compiz also makes my system more usable because it shows me all my open windows with its switcher plugins and those features are enhanced by additional options. Metacity with compositing shows a preview of the windows on its switcher but in compiz, you can also click on the window previews to select a Windows, just like in Windows Vista and 7. Expo is also very important to me because that's how I manage which windows are in which workspace. Trust me, it does the job way faster than metacity.

An important part of ergonomics is aesthetics. Who wouldn't want the more visually pleasing desktop brought by compiz?

[Daisuke_Aramaki]

I think there is a misconception about compiz... it seems that the majority of people think this is some kind of eye-candy app...it isn't. I would argue the opposite, compiz is an absolutely essential piece of software for productive work.

All i need is a terminal to be highly productive, all the way from writing code, to launching applications and doing a whole lot of other things. so it absolutely depends on what one would like to do.

window managers do play a role in making a user comfortable in a certain environment. for some it may be compiz, but for others it might be not be interesting.

[Superkoop]

On my Desktop I use Compiz except while doing things in full-screen. On my laptop it's always off, simply because it has an Intel Graphics card and even when it did work without fiddiling with things it was slow.
Either way it's not that cool, it doesn't make me anymore productive - all I need is multiple workspaces TBH.

[Dark Aspect]

Yeah of course, why would I not use compiz. It looks great, if you play games just start another xserver.

[Chemical Imbalance]

Personally I find Compiz to be a newbie-magnet to Linux.
I understand people like some features of Compiz other than the eye-candy, but I don't bother with it.

It is too cumbersome and flashy for me. Metacity works fine for my needs.

Just my personal opinion, no flames please.

[wersdaluv]

Yeah of course, why would I not use compiz. It looks great, if you play games just start another xserver.
How do you do that? startx on another console? That didn't work for me

[Dark Aspect]

How do you do that? startx on another console? That didn't work for me

Ctrl+Alt+F1


xinit -- :1

or http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/wiwimod/index.php?page=HOWTO+extra+XServer.

[Keyper7]

Just like the concept of multiple workspaces introduced to me back when I started using Linux (good old WindowMaker days), Compiz's scale plugin was something that I lived years without but, after ten minutes or so using it, the mere thought of living without it gave me nightmares.

[dragos240]

every once in a while

[HermanAB]

Compiz and company interferes with video on my hardware.

It makes a nice demo but is quite useless in and of itself, so I don't use it.

[cubeist]

In my case, switching workspaces is faster with compiz than metacity. I don' know why.

Other than that, compiz makes me more productive by letting me switch between windows much faster than any other window manager I tried (including any version of Windows or OS X). In less than a second, I can switch to a desired window by activating the scale plugin then typing the first letters of the window title then pressing enter.



Scale... I haven't used this plugin yet, but It sounds good, I will give it a try.

As to using the terminal to be productive (as mentioned by Daisuke_Aramaki), I would 100% agree. The terminal is a fantastic productive tool, but for nearly 100% of desktop users (not server admins), using a terminal-only system is dull and boring. Productive? sure, but who wants to look at a black and white monospaced text screen all day...why voluntarily use a system from the 1970's. Blah! :tongue:

[SomeGuyDude]

If I'm using Gnome, I'll use Compiz, because I do think some of the effects are pretty (not as smooth as Mac OS X, but that's okay).

If I want absolutely speed and performance, I use IceWM instead of Gnome.

Ubuntu's Compiz is not the smoothest. I was in shock when I tried it on Arch, it's absolute butter. With the Intel legacy driver, anyway.

[Daisuke_Aramaki]

Scale... I haven't used this plugin yet, but It sounds good, I will give it a try.

As to using the terminal to be productive (as mentioned by Daisuke_Aramaki), I would 100% agree. The terminal is a fantastic productive tool, but for nearly 100% of desktop users (not server admins), using a terminal-only system is dull and boring. Productive? sure, but who wants to look at a black and white monospaced text screen all day...why voluntarily use a system from the 1970's. Blah! :tongue:

I was just giving you an example as to why compiz is not an absolute must for productivity as you claimed. Besides, terminal is much more than a tool and again it may be boring and dull for you, but its certainly not the case for a lot of people.

And you don't have to be a sysadmin to use the terminal extensively. If black and white monospaced text is your idea of the terminal, I would have to say, good luck. And this is the first time I have ever heard that the terminal is so 1970's. It is a stupid assertion that you could have avoided.

[keplerspeed]

I usually have compiz running, with wobbly windows, desktop cube etc.

I know some older die hard linux guys, and they dont like visual effects, they like it simple, and arent impressed by the desktop cube for example. However, younger, new user like these effects, especially after coming from windows. Age, experience and preference. All integrally related...

However, I have to disable compiz from now to then to run pro-engineer from example (CAD software), or when I am folding@home on my gpu (via wine).

[wersdaluv]

Scale... I haven't used this plugin yet, but It sounds good, I will give it a try.

As to using the terminal to be productive (as mentioned by Daisuke_Aramaki), I would 100% agree. The terminal is a fantastic productive tool, but for nearly 100% of desktop users (not server admins), using a terminal-only system is dull and boring. Productive? sure, but who wants to look at a black and white monospaced text screen all day...why voluntarily use a system from the 1970's. Blah! :tongue:
The search function is the "Scale Window Title Filter" :)

[wersdaluv]

Ctrl+Alt+F1


xinit -- :1

or http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/wiwimod/index.php?page=HOWTO+extra+XServer.
Thanks! :D

[Tipped OuT]

it is not slow or buggy or unstable for me, so i use it. I turn it off for games tho.
+1

[Greg]

I used it, but then I discovered the joy of the tiling window manager and gone it went.

[TheNosh]

i have intel graphics, but i enabled compiz anyway

so far it hasn't caused the horrible system hangs i was told it would, but i turn it off if i'm working on a research paper or something just in case

[Shikaku2]

I keep it enabled, for some of the extra features you can add, but not really for eye candy.

I disable it though for running programs or on battery using my script :3

[Fzang]

My computer has plenty of power and could run Compiz on top of Compiz on top of Compiz, twice.

I need to have some effects in my workflow. I don't use the more extreme stuff like cube, painting with fire or rain, but I do use window animations, wobbly and dropshadows.

[stwschool]

Compiz is a pain in the *** on my ATI box, so not on that one, but on my NVIDIA box it runs like a dream, so corners give me scale and expo. Job done.

[Giant Speck]

If only the blur plugin worked properly on my Intel chip. Everything else works great!

[chriskin]

Compiz effects make my desktop as cool as it can get, there is no way i am ever going to turn it off
in fact, i was increasing the amount of activated plugins just a minute ago

[bp1509]

d

[chriskin]

i don't call using 50mbs of ram at its worst a bloat :)
and it sure is worth it :)

[Viva]

meh. Compiz, the effects of KDE4.x and Gnome3.0 are all a gimmick. It's neat at first, but boring and pointless bloat imo.

Fixed. Some of the features are extremely useful for me. I can't imagine using my computer without compiz.

[chriskin]

Fixed. Some of the features are extremely useful for me. I can't imagine using my computer without compiz.

+1 (i gave a very clever response here...it might not seem like that but anyway...)

[bp1509]

d

[Giant Speck]

Pfft... Nautilus uses twice the RAM that Compiz and Emerald use combined on my computer.

[bp1509]

h

[Giant Speck]

That may be so, but at least Nautilus has an actual function beyond bling.

I personally prefer pcmanfm + the cli to manage my files, but to each their own.

Well, Compiz may not be useful to you, but a few of its plugins have been useful to me. Expo and Window Previews are the two plugins I use the most, for example.

[hanzomon4]

50MB of ram for what? that's my point. It's using RAM, cpu/gpu resources, hard-drive space, for ..doing nothing whatsoever. The desktop paradigm and usage of the machine barely changes but now it just does it "prettier". It's just one more thing that can break (and typically does), uses more resources, and gives little to no advantage. I just don't see the how the cost/benefit works to the advantage of the user.

I mean, if you're desktop is a toy and you don't do any real work on it I can see that. Working in a Unix department I can tell you right now we'd laugh at anyone putting Compiz on at work.

Now something like a TWM, which increases productivity, hides away even the desktop/wallpaper for the most part, and puts ..not animation and bling front and center..but your applications and does it with a lot less resources, that to me is where "it" is at. Compiz is a distraction for Windows converts. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I'd say the same about the direction Gnome3.0 is going, and KDE4.x has gone.

Do you write programs for linux?

[Paqman]

I really hate using a machine that doesn't have a composited desktop now. I've got used to them, and find a lot of the features in Compiz extremely handy.

[MasterNetra]

I can't use it in jaunty unless I bypass Jaunty's blacklisting of my Intel card. So not really.

[bp1509]

d

[Giant Speck]

and pray tell, what do window previews give you that their spot on a normal task bar window listing didn't?

They allow me to see the actual window without having to minimize other windows or bring the window I want to preview to the front of all my windows.


What does expose do that the taskbar/window list didn't or that alt-tab didn't?

I didn't say Expose. I said Expo. Expo allows me to view all of my virtual desktops and drag windows from one desktop to another.


If you have to wait for a thumbnail of your window to be drawn to a screen to switch to it.. i hardly call that productive.

It's hardly a thumbnail. The Window Previews plugin allows me to adjust how large the preview is, so I can get a readable preview of the window instead of the tiny thumbnail that the Window Previews feature of Vista gives you.

[vikkikanhaua]

Maybe when trying to show-off Ubuntu to somebody but when I am just doing general computing I have it off.

same is the case with me. I just use it show windows users what they are missing.

[betrunkenaffe]

They allow me to see the actual window without having to minimize other windows or bring the window I want to preview to the front of all my windows.



I didn't say Expose. I said Expo. Expo allows me to view all of my virtual desktops and drag windows from one desktop to another.



It's hardly a thumbnail. The Window Previews plugin allows me to adjust how large the preview is, so I can get a readable preview of the window instead of the tiny thumbnail that the Window Previews feature of Vista gives you.

I really should look at the options for these things sometime, I have preview on and am just getting little thumbnails but if I can make them a little bigger, I could read them :P

Thanks!

PS: Compiz on, always.

[emeraldgirl08]

I remember bugging out when it worked on my old 16mb Video card!!! The effects are very nice to show people that think the world of Windows! When I compare all the eye-candy that a free distro is able to produce- I just sit back and smile :)

I only turn it on when showing off ;)

[raronson]

Yes. Taking a cue from OS X, I use the expo, scale, desktop wall, show desktop, and command features set to initiate on hot corners:

.Upper Left corner: expo (OS X style, switches between desktops)
.Upper Right corner: initiate window selector (scales all windows on current desktop--really usefull when you have a lot of things open)
.Bottom Left corner: show desktop (again, useful if you have a lot of things open)
.Bottom Right corner: command to start my screensaver (usefull when I'm connected to my HDTV and need to pause a movie or walk away for a bit).

The wobbly windows, desktop cube, and other flashy bits aren't very useful other than to impress someone who's never seen them before.

[mamamia88]

i use compiz it's pretty stable for me and if it ever crashes i just open a terminal and type compiz and wa la it works again. not very time consuming if you ask me

[Sand & Mercury]

It has its problems, but not enough to stop me from using it. I only turn it off for gaming. It would have so many other great uses if they would just have it rememember thumbnails for minimized apps.

[243kof]

I had an issue with compiz and firefox slow scrolling in Intrepid, but it has gone away in Jaunty so i use it regularly. I have discovered the grid plugin which allows me to tile windows vertically or horizontally, and it has greatly improved my productivity! ;)

[chriskin]

I had an issue with compiz and firefox slow scrolling in Intrepid, but it has gone away in Jaunty so i use it regularly. I have discovered the grid plugin which allows me to tile windows vertically or horizontally, and it has greatly improved my productivity! ;)


and just now i was thinking that i am the only one regularly using the grid plugin :)
it really is a hidden gem :)

[sdlynx]

I leave it on because, hey, when your working and you Ctrl + Alt + Left to another workspace people are like omg must get linux I wanna be able to do that. Plus my laptop can handle it and it looks cool so why not.


and just now i was thinking that i am the only one regularly using the grid plugin :)
it really is a hidden gem :)

How do I go about getting this?

[Tipped OuT]

It has its problems, but not enough to stop me from using it. I only turn it off for gaming. It would have so many other great uses if they would just have it rememember thumbnails for minimized apps.

+1 I've been wanting this for a while now.

[tjwoosta]

Im sure somebody already pointed this out but ill just say it anyway.


(including manually turning it off when starting a game/ movie, etc)

Theres no need to do it manually, just make a simple bash script that will do metacity --replace, launch the game/movie, then compiz --replace after the game/movie is closed.

Its a most basic bash script. Then you can simply change the launcher for the movie/game to point to the bash script instead of directly to the program. Now every time you click the launcher it automatically changes to metacity before launching the program, then it automatically changes it back after you close the program.

[Derspankster]

I've found it to be a terribly buggy POS and no longer fool with it.

[xhilyn]

I use it all the time, along with Emerald window manager.

I especially like being able to spin through my different desktops using my mouse scroll-wheel.

I also like having wobbly windows with shadows and transparency.

And Expo and Windows Previews coupled with AWN dock and Opacify is just brilliant.

So I think all those things are useful and not just eye candy.

I even have it all turned on on my little Acer Aspire One Netbook, so it works a treat for me.

xhi

[ArtF10]

It works, but is slow. Still, it provides for a better feel for my system with it on than with it off. Things don't seem (Ubuntu 9.04) like they're 10 years old with it on.

[Pogeymanz]

I've been switching between Compiz and Xfwm4.

I can't decide which I like better. Xfwm4 obviously has better compatibility with XFCE desktop because of Compiz's use of viewports instead of desktops.

But, Compiz has Expo and Scale and some nice, but minimal shade and minimize animations, which really add a lot to my experience.

I have to problems with video playback or anything like that with my Intel Graphics.

So, Compiz is cool by me.

[Matthewthegreat]

If you think about it, most games are useless apps yet people use them because they are fun! Even though some parts of compiz (like wobbly windows or the cube) are useless I think compiz is fun! Hence, I use it all the time, even on my netbook. If you have a powerful enough computer why not use it?

[HappinessNow]

I thought Compiz went the way of e17 and the doodoo?

In actuality the best Compiz application I have seen is in e17 in Elive, I am just waiting for a stable release...

...still waiting.

[khelben1979]

I have never understood what it is.

[chriskin]

I have never understood what it is.


you never understood what...compiz is??

[khelben1979]

you never understood what...compiz is??

That's right. I'm checking it up on Wikipedia right now (compiz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiz)).

[racerraul]

I thought Compiz went the way of e17 and the doodoo?

In actuality the best Compiz application I have seen is in e17 in Elive, I am just waiting for a stable release...

...still waiting.

:lolflag:

I happen to use both Compiz (Ecomorph) & E17

[HappinessNow]

:lolflag:

I happen to use both Compiz (Ecomorph) & E17
Are you using that on a Ubuntu base? If so could you post a How To in the How to section.

[chriskin]

That's right. I'm checking it up on Wikipedia right now (compiz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiz)).

check youtube for videos
you'll DEFINITIVELY love it :)

[racerraul]

Are you using that on a Ubuntu base? If so could you post a How To in the How to section.

I use OpenGEU 8.10. Have it running on 5 systems at home. Only have Compiz (Ecomorph) enabled on 3 of them.

Compiz (Ecomorph) is not fully integrated yet, and there are a few features like dropshadow that do not work in 8.10. But will when 9.04 is released.

I don't use all the features though... I only have some animations and transparencies enabled.

[HappinessNow]

I use OpenGEU 8.10. Have it running on 5 systems at home. Only have Compiz (Ecomorph) enabled on 3 of them.

Compiz (Ecomorph) is not fully integrated yet, and there are a few features like dropshadow that do not work in 8.10. But will when 9.04 is released.

I don't use all the features though... I only have some animations and transparencies enabled.
That is OK, a few features would all I would use also.

A How to posted here in the Ubuntuforums would be greatly appreciated.

http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=100

[night_fox]

brooooooooooooken for my intel graphics cards. Its way too slow with normal settings, but if I use uxa and tiling, it becomes super quick but crashes after minutes. When these bugs get sorted out I'll use it.

[racerraul]

That is OK, a few features would all I would use also.

A How to posted here in the Ubuntuforums would be greatly appreciated.

http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=100

Download, burn and install... http://opengeu.intilinux.com/Home.html
you can try the live CD before you install.

[stanca]

I use compiz,ecomorph and xcompmgr(composite) too in 2 different OS's and 3 desktop and window managers.
Try Elive E17 Compiz too;impossible to dislike it.
http://www.elivecd.org/Download/e17-compiz

[hoppipolla]

I find it breaks too much and has too many little problems ._.

When it works it's AWESOME... but personally I'm holding out for Kwin to improve! :)

[MoebusNet]

If I enable Visual Effects, it kills my VirtualBox. I can either have one or the other, not both.

Ubuntu 8.04.3 and VirtualBox 3.0.6

[PurposeOfReason]

I don't even use transparent terminals. I don't need fancy effects to make my computer experience enjoyable.

[Tibuda]

If I enable Visual Effects, it kills my VirtualBox. I can either have one or the other, not both.

Ubuntu 8.04.3 and VirtualBox 3.0.6

Are you trying to use Compiz in the guest or in the host system? I don't think it would work on the guest.

[shafin]

I actually use compiz to switch between windows with the scale plugin. I set 3 of my screen corners to activate scale on mouseover and removed the bottom panel as its rendered obsolete by this. Also I use expo extensively for workspace switching. Compiz really improves the efficiency regarding this. The eye candy is a bonus.
On a whole, I think compiz is really much more useful than a vocal minority make it out to be. The poll attests to this. OP has attempted to divert votes to non-compiz choices via the request to choose no if you want to use compiz but is unable to do so or if you have to turn it off when you play games. Even if the voters use compiz all other time, they have to choose no. But the results speak for themselves.

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/4751/screenshotpwl.png

[Exodist]

I have a gut feeling that most users turn off Compiz after a while,
because it's slow, buggy, and unstable.

Gut feeling are worthless beyond 80's movies, so lets collects some data.

Please Vote!

Clarification:
The reason is not as important as the outcome - if you want to use Compiz but can't, it's still a No..
:popcorn:

Long as you use the drivers directly from AMD/ATIs or nVidias websites compiz fusion works rock solid. If your a retard and tries to use the drivers that comes with Ubuntu to run CF, then expect instability out the rear..

[Cresho]

In hardy heron, i can use compiz just fine. even with movies using xine in auto and smplayer in gl mode. NO tearing no problems at all

gaming such as etqw, i have a script that auto disables and loads compiz. Everything is seemless for me since I take a bit of time making it work so I end up having a better using expirience.

Kwin slows down gaming as well. so this thread should not specifically mean compiz but should mean 3d accelerated compositing...or something.

[PurposeOfReason]

Long as you use the drivers directly from AMD/ATIs or nVidias websites compiz fusion works rock solid. If your a retard and tries[/b] to use the drivers that comes with Ubuntu to run CF, then expect instability out the rear..
Just a few errors pointed out; please don't throw around the word 'retard' in such a context unless you are far from it.

[MoebusNet]

Are you trying to use Compiz in the guest or in the host system? I don't think it would work on the guest.

If I enable System>Preferences>Appearance>Visual Effects>[Normal or Extra] in my host (Ubuntu 8.04.3) then none of my Ubuntu OS's in VirtualBox 3.0.6 will boot up, but host desktop effects work well. If I select System>Preferences>Appearance>Visual Effects>None in my host, then the OS's in VBox boot & work normally.

As a separate issue, I haven't had any luck in getting any of the guest OS's to enable visual effects. They just throw an error message and go back to System>Preferences>Appearance>Visual Effects>None in the guest OS.

[SomeGuyDude]

Compiz has a few issues with some things, yeah. Blender, for example, is entirely unusable on my machine with Compiz rolling.

Fortunately with Fusion Icon I can just right-click -> select Openbox and do what I need quickly.

[mangar]

@shafin, Cresho, Exodist
I was trying to gauge the experience people had with Compiz.
Having to do extra work (scripts, drivers, manually toggle a switch each time you want to play a game) to get a superficial thing like eye-candy working, means it actually reduces productivity and enjoyment, and as such, not usable.

30% (or 45%) is an extremely significant figure. Don't ignore it because it works for you.

[gamersblood]

Of course its one of these things i prefer ubuntu above xp vista 7, beacause its stable beatifull clear en easy to use its Gold Gold.:guitar:

[aphatak]

Compiz who?!?

Seriously, no. I spend most of my time within applications - GIMP, Audacity, Avidemux, OpenOffice, NetBeans, and so on, all of which demand all my attention, and a full screen. When I am not in an application, I am in a terminal window. As the originator of this thread said, screen effects are fun for the first five minutes, and then they begin to irritate me. If you want to see things spin and wobble, toss a couple of stiff drinks down the hatch.

I don't use the massager in my car seat either - driving and being massaged (preferably by a person of the opposite gender, not by a machine!) are both full-time activities. I wouldn't want to do either with half a mind.

[leviathan8]

I only use compiz on my desktop, because having it enabled on my laptop, causes the machine to crash with no apparent reasons.

[spook1980]

got 1 computer with a intel graphics card in which compiz runs great so i leave it on all the time, i don't do the cube as i really don't see a point in it but i do use it for the other effects such as wobby windows and the close open minimize windows effects,

my other computer has an older geforce 5500 graphics card and compiz while it works sweams to slow down the computer alot as i do use cairo-dock i use metacitys built-in compositing manager on that,

[Elfy]

Necroclosed.