We all know that Linux is an OSS (Open Source Software) OS (Operating System) but a user friendly OS is a huge product to be free ..
The first component of Linux (Kernel) was finished in 1991 by Linus Trovalds the student of Helsinki University in Finland. While the second one (System software) were developed, maintained and re-distributed by GNU which is a glorious and a pioneer foundation in the field of the OSS.
After this "histo-technical" introduction lets mention some -system software programs- definitions.
Desktop environment
a style of graphical user interface (GUI) that is used to be the interactive and friendly interface to the user, instead of the old command line interface (CLI).
Window manager
The program that is responsible for drawing (rendering) windows, control their appearance and determine how they are displayed and interact with each other.
Now back to our Ubuntu Hardy ..
The default Desktop environment is "Gnome", wheres the default window manager is "Metacity".
I'm ready now to say what Compiz is:
It is an alternate for Metacity which uses 3D H/W (VGA) to create fast, efficient and advanced visual desktop effects. Here are some photos:
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Now lets move to the "How" section of the post;
How to obtain Compiz Fusion (which is Compiz with some plug-ins):
- First of all ensure that your VGA is not blacklisted from here .
- Follow this tutorial
- If it is still not working type
mkdir -p ~/.config/compiz/ && echo SKIP_CHECKS=yes >> ~/.config/compiz/compiz-manager
to skip checks that compiz performs. - If it is still not working enable the compsite extension in /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Reboot and enjoy..
Even after installing compiz you can alternate your Window manager between compiz and metacity by the commands
compiz --replace &and
metacity --replace &
I prefer creating a couple of launchers in my panel instead of writing commands each time.
But why alternating between them?
Because applications which rely on VGA and performs heavy rendering conflicts with compiz and cause the monitor to continually blink, like Google Earth and any "medium/big" game.
good post .. and it comes in time as am downloading Linux Ubuntu now :D
ReplyDeleteso i'll try Compiz and Metacity
i tried before Linux Mandriva , it was using KDE as desktop environment .. so am giving a try to Gnome :)
I attended on Saturday a good session about linux (and oSS as well) in Alexandria library which was given by the EGLUG member Eng. Ahmed mekkawy. From his sesion I would like to mention the following:
ReplyDelete(1). Now compiz became the default window manager in Ubuntu Hardy.
(2). The full hierarchy of the OS is Kernel -> Server-X ->Desktop environment -> Wndow manager (maker)
Well compiz is basic in ubuntu hardy now, anyway it won't be activated unless your 3D graphic card is properly configured. If it's not then it will fallback to mitacity. Still installing compiz may be useful in some distros.
ReplyDeleteAbout the flickering thing, it's true that falling to mitacity is the easiest thing to do, but usually it's fixed by changing the vedio output module for the running software (X11, OpenGL, ..etc). Though this is applicable in something like VLC player options, but I don't think it's easy anyway in google earth, just fallback to mitacity.
ah i forgot to say that what was said in the presentation is that the gnu/linux layers are: kernel -> shell -> X-server -> Desktop Environment -> window manager / composite window manager -> window decorator :)
ReplyDeleteThanks linuxawy for the correction.
ReplyDeleteThe memory of most of the new generation of CSE is much more volatile than the RAM :D
"..The memory of most of the new generation of CSE is much more volatile than the RAM :D"
ReplyDeletevery funny :D and sadly true :( , lol