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litemirrors
February 19th, 2010, 12:14 AM
I've come across this http://www.thinkinbytes.com/en/products/cubedesktop/ in my journey for a Windows 3d Desktop, surprisingly after thinking it had been abandoned they seem to have updated it! There's another one that's not as good called DeskSpace.

CubeDesktop is actually very weird, I have no idea how it works but they've managed to create a near clone of the effects aspects to Compiz Fusion. So my question is really what makes it different than Compiz Fusion? How does Linux's implimentation differ from theirs?

It's not just screenshots of each surface either, they have realtime rendering that's done if you turn it on!

The effects list isn't as long though, but the general development seems on par with how Compiz Fusion feels. Interesting that Windows seems able to clone it somewhat.

Would you say the fact this is possible on Windows somehow weakens linux overall since many like the eye candy it offers and that's their main reason for giving it a try?

Even on linux Cairo Dock is only now getting to a level of being similar to RocketDock (Windows) IMO, the latest version surpasses it now I think

Curious for replies thanks!

swoll1980
February 19th, 2010, 12:19 AM
Compiz isn't a very good program. If People come to Linux just for that, they probably won't stay very long.

litemirrors
February 19th, 2010, 12:24 AM
Interesting thoughts, so then what brought you to Linux if not the Compiz Fusion effects? Windows offers very good freeware such as Irfanview, foobar2000, RocketDock, 3rvx, and others. In a way they even surpass linux software since XNView isn't offered in the repository and foobar2000 only runs under WINE, but yes linux has alot of freeware that's great as well.

Anyhow your reasons?

Psumi
February 19th, 2010, 02:15 AM
Interesting thoughts, so then what brought you to Linux if not the Compiz Fusion effects?

I can't even run compiz on my current computer. ;)


Windows offers very good freeware such as Irfanview, foobar2000, RocketDock, 3rvx

Irfranview -- GIMP (I hate using image viewers, I'd rather open them in an image editor.)

foobar2000 -- I don't like playlists, album sorting, syncing, etc. And I hate mp3 players, ipods, smart phones, etc. So I use totem / parole media player. Why would I need something as fancy as foobar?

RocketDock -- I use the panel. Period.

3rvx -- Most modern computers nowadays can interface directly to gnome-volume-manager, which has a tie to libnotify, which acts as on-screen display. I don't need this either, I'm content with one volume setting forever.

cariboo
February 19th, 2010, 02:27 AM
Interesting thoughts, so then what brought you to Linux if not the Compiz Fusion effects? Windows offers very good freeware such as Irfanview, foobar2000, RocketDock, 3rvx, and others. In a way they even surpass linux software since XNView isn't offered in the repository and foobar2000 only runs under WINE, but yes linux has alot of freeware that's great as well.

Anyhow your reasons?

If the only reason you use a Linux variant is because it is free of cost you are also using it for the wrong reason. I started using Linux because I didn't like the direction Microsoft was taking back in 1998. I like to use my computer my way, not the way the Microsoft tells us how we should use it.

I normally have compiz turned off, and only turn it on when I want to show someone some of the bling.

skymera
February 19th, 2010, 02:33 AM
Just "acquired" CubeDesktop Pro and it's hilarious xD

Seems like Yodm3D on steroids.

The "Window Chooser" doesn't integrate well with the desktop.
The cube doesn't integrate well either, seems clunky leaving cube going back to desktop.

I can't see this being a Compiz for Windows. It's just another cube.. and 111MB RAM usage isn't that impressive either.

koleoptero
February 19th, 2010, 03:25 AM
I wonder how many times I'll have to say today that compiz isn't just about the whole effects bling. :) It's a tool.

Islington
February 19th, 2010, 03:34 AM
I wonder how many times I'll have to say today that compiz isn't just about the whole effects bling. :) It's a tool.

Nevermind, each thread about compiz devolves into people calling it useless, and complaining about something or other. Compiz has 1 developer now; I wonder what these people will do before Gnome 3 comes out. I wonder what these people will do when the amazing amount of reconfigurability is lost with gnome shell, at least until the devs slowly reinvent that wheel.

This might be flamish and mods edit me if it is, but I doubt that level of configuration will ever return to gnome compositing; it simply doesn't work with Gnome's HIG.

koleoptero
February 19th, 2010, 03:51 AM
Nevermind, each thread about compiz devolves into people calling it useless, and complaining about something or other. Compiz has 1 developer now; I wonder what these people will do before Gnome 3 comes out. I wonder what these people will do when the amazing amount of reconfigurability is lost with gnome shell, at least until the devs slowly reinvent that wheel.

This might be flamish and mods edit me if it is, but I doubt that level of configuration will ever return to gnome compositing; it simply doesn't work with Gnome's HIG.

It is really a shame if it finally dies. :( I just love some of its plugins like negative and desktop zoom, and I don't believe that any other compositor will replicate them. Kwin perhaps, but I doubt it.

Giant Speck
February 19th, 2010, 03:52 AM
If the only reason you use a Linux variant is because it is free of cost you are also using it for the wrong reason. I started using Linux because I didn't like the direction Microsoft was taking back in 1998. I like to use my computer my way, not the way the Microsoft tells us how we should use it.

I normally have compiz turned off, and only turn it on when I want to show someone some of the bling.

Wait, so switching to Linux because it isn't a Microsoft product (and we all know how evil they are :roll:) is a more valid reason than switching to Linux because it usually costs far less than Microsoft products?

litemirrors
February 19th, 2010, 04:01 AM
Obviously there are alot of reasons ppl switch, cost is one :S don't wanna start fights here :)

So Gnome 3 and the human interface guidelines you say are incompatible with compiz fusion? or is what you meant gnome 3 in general will be less customizable than it's previous incarnations due to their policies on design?

Oh well :S

swoll1980
February 19th, 2010, 06:08 AM
Interesting thoughts, so then what brought you to Linux if not the Compiz Fusion effects? Windows offers very good freeware such as Irfanview, foobar2000, RocketDock, 3rvx, and others. In a way they even surpass linux software since XNView isn't offered in the repository and foobar2000 only runs under WINE, but yes linux has alot of freeware that's great as well.

Anyhow your reasons?

Curiosity brought me to Linux. When I started using Ubutnu I had no idea Compiz existed. It wasn't enabled back then. There was an option to enable "experimental effects". It was wobbly windows, and the cube if I remember right. I never enabled it though. It wasn't until 7.10 that it shipped with compiz-fusion which was cool, and all, but wasn't ever the "killer app" for me at least. It caused more problems then what is was worth most of the time. A majority of problems users had were solved by simply disabling it. I'm using kde now, and kwin runs alot smoother for me, though that wasn't always the case. Kwin has come along way in the last year.

Icehuck
February 19th, 2010, 06:13 AM
Compiz has 1 developer now;

When did this happen and do you have a source?

Twitch6000
February 19th, 2010, 06:32 AM
When did this happen and do you have a source?

I am also interested in this. Last I heard they had a whole group.

Psumi
February 19th, 2010, 07:54 AM
I am also interested in this. Last I heard they had a whole group.

Even if they DO have a group, it has had no new version, and very, very little development as of late.

litemirrors
February 19th, 2010, 08:02 AM
From what I've gathered Compiz is a dead project, very few understand the original code and no one seems to really care. The truth is has Compiz achieved it's goals? For the most part it seems so, they implemented a compositing window manager basically allowing for various effects. The only question I have is will future linux distros break Compiz thereby making it unusable?

Frankly I see no reason Gnome and KDE can't begin directly integrating Compiz into their distros interfaces, I mean why not? - I mean actually merging the Gnome and KDE with Compiz code

Psumi
February 19th, 2010, 08:21 AM
Frankly I see no reason Gnome and KDE can't begin directly integrating Compiz into their distros interfaces, I mean why not? - I mean actually merging the Gnome and KDE with Compiz code

Just make sure you keep legacy versions available forever and keep updating them if you find issues and security holes, etc.

Merging compiz with the DEs then throwing out the old is like what Microsoft did with Xbox games on Xbox Live. Pfeh, making room for 360 games. More like: "Oh, we just don't care to support the old games anymore. Maybe in the future, we'll do what SONY did and remove backwards compatibility altogether!!" Pfft.

swoll1980
February 19th, 2010, 08:22 AM
From what I've gathered Compiz is a dead project, very few understand the original code and no one seems to really care. The truth is has Compiz achieved it's goals? For the most part it seems so, they implemented a compositing window manager basically allowing for various effects. The only question I have is will future linux distros break Compiz thereby making it unusable?

Frankly I see no reason Gnome and KDE can't begin directly integrating Compiz into their distros interfaces, I mean why not? - I mean actually merging the Gnome and KDE with Compiz code

KDE has it's own compositing wm called kwin. From what I hear Compiz is a rats nest, and wouldn't be useful for integration with Gnome.

MaxIBoy
February 19th, 2010, 08:31 AM
Compiz development is very active these days. Sure the old code is a horrible murdering rat's nest... they're not using the old code anymore. Compiz 0.9 will be a complete rewrite in C++.

You can read the compiz "planet" (an aggregate of the developers' respective blogs) here:
http://planet.compiz.org/

Psumi
February 19th, 2010, 08:44 AM
Compiz 0.9 will be a complete rewrite in C++.

http://smspillaz.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/emerald/

It will also be incompatible with emerald ;)

Dayofswords
February 19th, 2010, 09:38 AM
If the only reason you use a Linux variant is because it is free of cost you are also using it for the wrong reason.

i wouldnt say that, i'd say its not the best reason. but not a wrong reason... since some people may not be able to afford commerical OS's

if you follow such a line of thought you would logically go to being poor means your wrong

Islington
February 19th, 2010, 04:02 PM
When did this happen and do you have a source?


I am also interested in this. Last I heard they had a whole group.

Sam Spillsbury had posted a rather long post here; but he deleted it. (http://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/atmnr/compiz_patents_and_ubuntu_whats_going_to_happen/c0jcff5)

edit: perhaps this has changed; which I think is good news; taking a look at git it seems active enough.

MaxIBoy
February 19th, 2010, 05:57 PM
http://smspillaz.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/emerald/

It will also be incompatible with emerald ;)Emerald was always broken anyway. There will be a better equivalent in Compiz 0.9.