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It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s … No no kiddo, it just Ubuntu running XGL and Compiz! Absolutely your desktop also could look like this! It’s free and it’s beautiful, definitely! Hurry up kiddo, you can see the Xgl/Compiz how to below if you want to try this!

How To Cook XGL/Compiz On Ubuntu (Nvidia)

Just another Xgl/Compiz tutorial based on my experienced when I was installed it on Ubuntu 6.06 LTS.

Slurp

Xgl is is a new Xserver architecture layered on top of OpenGL and takes advantage of available accelerated 3D rendering hardware. Xgl can perform intricate graphical operations–such as rendering antialiased fonts–noticeably faster than other available Xservers that do not use OpenGL. More important than speed alone, Xgl accelerates complex composite operations, making possible new stunning visual effects through on OpenGL-enhanced composition/window managers like Compiz. These visual effects have broad practical use, making Linux more accessible for the visually impaired, and creating a workspace that is easier to comprehend and navigate for less experienced users.

Ingredient

• Ubuntu 6.06 LTS
• Nvidia Graphics Card
• Xgl/Compiz Packages
• Some musics please

Breakfast Time

If you want to try Xgl/Compiz on desktop, first I suggest you to download Xgl/Compiz packages from Community Compiz. Well there are the packages on Ubuntu universe repository but this packages are already out of date or lack of plugins and tool that you need to run Xgl/Compiz. So hurry up start your Ubuntu, open the Terminal and your favorite editor (I’m using Gedit in this HowTo).

Done? Now you need to add Community Compiz repository into /etc/apt/sources.list

$ sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.backup
$ sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Add the entry below into your /etc/apt/sources.list (place it anywhere you like kiddo)

deb http://ubuntu.compiz.net/ dapper main

Next you need to get GPG key for that repository

$ wget http://ubuntu.compiz.net/quinn.key.asc -O - | sudo apt-key add -

Update your packages lists, check if everything work then install the packages

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl compiz compiz-core compiz-plugins compiz-gnome gnome-compiz-manager cgwd cgwd-themes

Now Xgl/Compiz has been installed in your Ubuntu, not bad huh?

Lunch Time

Now we’ll change some config files if you want running Xgl/Compiz. Get Ready!

Backup /etc/X11/xorg.conf and then edit it please! I assumed that you already installed Nvidia proprietary driver. Please install nvidia-glx package, if you had not installed this package! See help in your Ubuntu how to install it (System > Help > System Documentation.

$ sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
$ sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Find this section (your values may vary)

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "NVIDIA Corporation NV34M [GeForce FX Go5200]"
    Driver      "nvidia"
    BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Add this following lines below BusID entry

    ...
    Option      "RendelAccel" "true"
    Option      "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true"
    Option      "Triplebuffer" "true"
    ...

After this you need to add entry for Xgl into /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom. This will change usual X server with Xgl Server.

$ sudo cp /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom.backup
$ sudo gedit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom

Add the following lines:

[servers]
0=Xgl

[server-Xgl]
name=Xgl server
command=/usr/bin/Xgl :0 -fullscreen -ac -accel glx:pbuffer -accel xv:pbuffer
flexible=true

When your done save all files restart your computer and relax.

Dinner Time

Now we’re ready to see one of the most interesting feature in Linux desktop platform, I’m sure this will change the way people think about Linux. So enjoy your dinner before its cold.

Before this if you want to run Xgl/Compiz you need to create some files & shortcut manually. But now all you have to do is just click the icon, then what will happen next? As you see in the pictures above, your desktop will be floating in space. No shit kiddo!

To run Xgl/Compiz right click Gnome Compiz Manager which is locate in Gnome panel system tray.

See what I mean before? From here you’re ready to explore some cool feature on Xgl/Compiz by yourself. You can rotate your desktop like a cube, scale your desktop like exposé’ feature in Mac OS X, make your windows transparent, makes windows or menus wobble while they are being moved or resized, make your windows look like Vista, etc. etc. What do you think about Xgl/Compiz? Very beautiful isn’t it?

With Gnome Compiz Manage you can set up basic Xgl/Compiz configuration and if you want to explore more Xgl/Compiz configuration you should using Gconf Editor (Application > System Tools > Configuration Editor). Like below, examples of the shortcuts setting that I used for my desktop. You can change it into anything you like using Gconf Editor.

Description	Shortcut
Lower Window	<Control><Super>l
Raise Window	<Control><Super>r
Maximize Window Horizontally	<Control><Super>h
Maximize Window Vertically	<Control><Super>v
Maximize Window	<Alt>F10
Minimize Window	<Alt>F9
Unmaximize Window	<Alt>F5
Decrease Opacity	<Alt>Button5 (Scroll Forward)
Increase Opacity	<Alt>Button4 (Scroll Backward)
Show Desktop	<Control><Alt>d
Slow Animations	<Shift>F10
Toggle Window Maximized Horizontally	<Shift><Super>h
Toggle Window Maximized Vertically	<Shift><Super>v
Window Menu	<Alt>space / <Alt>Button3 (Right Click)
Decrease Brightness	<Shift>Button5 (Scroll Forward)
Increase Brightness	<Shift>Button4 (Scroll Backward)
Initiate Window Move	<Alt>F7 / <Alt>Button1 (Left Click)
Toggle Screen Negative	<Super>m
Toggle Window Negative	<Super>n
Put Window To Bottom Center	<Super>KP_Down
Put Window To Bottom Left	<Super>KP_End
Put Window To Bottom Right	<Super>KP_Next
Put Window To Center	<Super>KP_Begin
Put Window To Center Left	<Super>KP_Left
Put Window To Center Right	<Super>KP_Right
Put Window To Top Center	<Super>KP_Up
Put Window To Top Left	<Super>KP_Home
Put Window To Top Right	<Super>KP_Prior
Put Window To Restore Position	<Super>KP_Insert
Put Window To Viewport Left	<Alt>KP_Left
Put Window To Viewport Right	<Alt>KP_Right
Start Resizing Window	<Alt>F8 / <Alt>Button2 (Middle Click)
Start Cube Rotation	<Alt>Button1 (Left Click)
Rotate Cube Left	<Control><Alt>Left
Rotate Cube Right	<Control><Alt>Right
Rotate Left with Window	<Shift><Control><Alt>Left
Rotate Right with Window	Shift><Control><Alt>Right
Transforming Windows From All Workspaces	F10
Transforming Windows Of Current Application	F11
Transforming Windows From Viewport	F12
Switch Next window	<Control><Alt>Tab
Popup Switcher And Select Next Window	<Alt>Tab
Switch Previous Window	<Shift><Control><Alt>Tab
Zoom Out	<Super>Button4 (Scroll Backward)
Zoom In	<Super>Button5 (Scroll Forward)
Initiate Zoom In	<Super>Button3 (Middle Click)

Clean Up

Some troubleshooting if you got the problems when running Xgl/Compiz

The wobble effect not working smoothly

• Open Gconf Editor
• Go to: apps > compiz > general > screen0 > option
• Uncheck "detect_refresh_rate"
• Then set the "refresh_rate" to 60

If you experience problems with keyboard mapping

xmodmap /usr/share/xmodmap/xmodmap.<language>

Replacing you country code for language. For US English I use this command:

xmodmap /usr/share/xmodmap/xmodmap.us

References

• Ubuntu Wiki - Composite Manager
• Ubuntu Forums
• Ubuntu Guide - Eye Candy

Good luck & have a nice day! Cheers!