3D Desktop Compiz Fusion on Axioo

As you may already know, 3D Desktop Compiz Fusion in Linux somehow draw a lot of attention lately, especially from migrated user from windows, that for this time being is still left behind on this cutting / bleeding edge technology of 3D Desktop environment.
With this 3D desktop features you’ve got a lot of eye candy features that can personalize your desktop into a stunning and richful features of 3d effects that can be use to attract people drop their jaws and hopefully in this conjunction articles for supporting the axioo marketing during the exhibition or sales promotion events.
I will tell you how to exploit this features as a benefit to attract people how is axioo which has bundled with Linux Os had some more added value that can bring more fun and high tech look just from the very first time they buy a brand new notebook.
Eventhough this compiz fusion 3D desktop technology has somewhat meaning for an eye candy for the desktop for some people, but this is just a matter point of view. Once you use them occasionally you’ll certainly realize this could be very useful and fun for speeding up some certain task on everyday office use especially for Windows grouping features and task switch windows manager features. So truly Compiz Fusion NOT just an eyecandy !, It seeks to provide an easy and fun-to-use windowing environment, allowing use of the graphics hardware to provide impressive effects, amazing speed and unrivalled usefulness.
Today, the advanced technology of parallel processing GPU on many display card chipsets was beyond powerful enough for commonly desktop environment use, so why not using it for something nicer and useful just like this 3D Desktop environment technology ? Fair enough ? then let’s continue …

Compiz Fusion, as well as Compiz, is an open-source software project, meaning anyone can use it and contribute to it freely.
The core itself has developed and maintain by a group of dedicated open source community that you can find it here : http://www.opencompositing.org/
This Compiz Fusion core rely on a 3D accelerated graphic cards that Linux OS must be capable to configure it as an OpenGL extension of AIGLX, XGL and direct rendering accelerated port, and for this time being only support the 3 major big names in vga display adapter manufacturer which are Intel, NVidia and ATi.
VIA, SIS, s3 Unichrome, and others unfortunately cannot be used because lack of hardware device driver for supporting 3D accelerating functions.
Many of axioo notebook using intel display driver chipset that capable runs this features like NL, SL, ML, TSJ, TSR, TEC, TEN Series, including Classmate and Pico Series.

Ok, here is the keyboard shortcut I already pre-programmed for some 3d desktop features that you can use during sales promo events or computer exhibitions to attract people come to axioo booth once they look at it.

Open some samples movies I’ve always included under Movies folder on home, or any other application you might want to display on desktop during rotating the cube.
Now press Ctrl+Alt+Left Click and drag the mouse to left or right. You should see the desktop turns into a cube and can be spin or rotate corresponding to the mouse movements.
On notebook touchpad this could be a little difficult, you have to press Ctrl+Alt+Left Click with your left hand, and then swipe your right hand finger on the touchpad to rotate the cube. Use your two hands God gives you.
This is a common standard effects on any Linux distro that supporting Compiz Fusion.
Maybe in next release, I will include the newest plugins which capable to rotating the desktop …. in sphere !

Open some samples movies I’ve always included under Movies folder on home, or any other application you might want to display on desktop and switch between them using Task Switcher effects. For best results switching look, you need two or three windows to switch with.
If in WindowsXP or Vista you can switch between application windows using Alt+Tab button (Also works here), but now try to switch them using Win+Tab.
There were two mode of switching effects, “Cover Mode” effects just like on many iPod and Mac notebooks, and “Flip Mode” effects like on Vista. You can chose between them using Compiz Config Setting Manager I will explain later.

This is the newest plugins effects I’ve included on only after Pico Series.
Open some samples movies I’ve always included under Movies folder on home, open again another application such as Open office Calc spreadsheet to add more dramatic scene on this effects.
Press Shift+Ctrl+S, you’ll see suddenly all the windows application opened on the desktop fly away to the new frontier …. even the video file were played need not to stop playing just to fly away toward the earth.
There were also two modes of screen saver 3D effects, 1st is this “Fly away” all windows, and the 2nd is “Cube Spinning” mode which the effect look just spin the cube I mention earlier. You can chose between them using Compiz Config Setting Manager I will explain later.
At least you must have a “decent” memory free space to run this under many application windows opened. Please be reasonable not to fly more than two movie windows with open office open and more on Pico series.

This is also the newest plugins effects I’ve included on only after Pico Series.
Open some samples movies I’ve always included under Movies folder on home. Do not maximize them cause we need to rotate them freely.
Now try or play with this keystroke :
Win + Alt + Up : Rotating the windows on x axis upward
Win + Alt + Dn : Rotating the windows on x axis downward
Win + Alt + Left : Rotating the windows on y axis to left direction
Win + Alt + Right : Rotating the windows on y axis to right direction
Win + Alt + PgUp : Rotating the windows in 2D clockwise
Win + Alt + PgDn : Rotating the windows in 2D counter clockwise
Win + Alt + End : Finish playing and reset windows to original position.
Please end the effects by pressing Win + Alt + End each time you were done playing ! or you will find difficulties to get the focus of that windows once you left un-restored. Maybe this is a bug or something unnicely behaviour, but I promise I will look at it if I had time.
On Pico notebook this could be a little difficult to press Win + Alt + End shortcut because the End key is cascading with Fn key …. so put down the microphone first, you need your two hands.

Try to paint a fire text axioo with this effects by pressing the Shift + Win + Left Click and drag the mouse to draw a fire curve that follow your mouse movements. If this is too hot for you, or to erase / reset or end this effects, just press Shift + Ctrl + C and go back to your desktop right away.

>

>

>

This is also a standard features on many Linux Distro using Compiz Fusion.

That several above 3d desktop effects only tell you some parts of this tremendous Compiz Fusion Effects.

You can always explore for some more effect features from the compiz fusion setting manager at any time, Open KMenu (this correponding to Start Menu / Main Menu on Windows OS), System, Configuration, Compiz, Compiz Config Setting Manager, and feel free to exploits any other features and explore the new world of 3D Desktop.

Maybe on some other time I will continue with another functions and effects features.

In the end, of course all the above effects and plugins can be run much much more smoothly and incredibly fast on powerful graphics adapter such as NVidia 8800GT or ATi X3870 on a desktop system … but …. that’s another story …. See ya !