My choices are intended to leverage Compiz to improve the level of usability, while at the same time remaining visually impressive. A lot of thought has gone to my keybinding choices to make them logical and optimal. Window Manager tasks will be performed using the Super (Windows) key as a modifier. This includes commands to launch a new window. Desktop Cube tasks will be performed using the Control+Alt modifiers. Control and Alt (when used individually as modifiers) are left for controlling applications. As you set some of the keys below, you'll run into some conflicts and need to choose something like "Set Anyway" but we will change the conflicting keys as we proceed further into the setup.
To get started, the first thing you need to do is install the preferences panel for "Advanced Desktop Effects Settings":
sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager
Lets begin by configuring the General Options. Enter all values excluding the quotes.
General Options
Commands:
"Command line 0" = "/usr/bin/gnome-screensaver-command --lock"
"Command line 1" = "gedit" Or the graphical text editor of your choice.
Desktop Size:
"Horizontal Virtual Size" = 4
"Vertical Virtual Size" = 1
"Number of Desktops" = 1
Display Settings: These are fairly ordinary, but I repeat them here because having them properly configured will ensure a smooth display.
"Texture Filter" = "Good"
"Detect Refresh Rate" = Checked
"Lighting" = Checked
"Refresh Rate" = 60 (Or your screen's redraw Hz at the current resolution.)
"Sync to VBlank" = Checked
"Detect Outputs" = Checked
Actions: I'm only listing the ones I changed from the defaults.
"General: Run Dialog" = "
"General: Hide all windows and focus desktop" = "
"General: Toggle Window Maximized" = "
"General: Toggle Window Shaded" = "
"General: Open a Terminal" = "
"Commands: Run command 0" = "
"Commands: Run command 1" = "
Now I will cover each and every plug-in which I have enabled. I recommend disabling all the other plug-ins by removing the tick from the check-box, unless you have a specific use for them.
Accessibility
ADD Helper
ADD helper is a quick way to subdue all the windows except the one currently focused by fading them out to dark gray.
Misc. options:
"Brightness" = 30
"Saturation" = 50
"Opacity" = 100
Actions:
"Toggle ADD Helper" = "
Negative
Being a true geek, I often use my computer at night, sometimes while other people are trying to watch movies which aren't interesting enough to keep my attention. Negative is great when computing in the dark, to reduce eye-strain and to reduce the amount of light emitted from the screen which may disturb others.
Actions
"Toggle Window Negative" = "
"Toggle Screen Negative" = "
Desktop
Desktop Cube
This is the foundation for perhaps the most famous eye-candy provided by compiz.
General:
"Mipmap" = Checked
Behavior:
"Inside Cube" = Not Checked
"Acceleration" = 4.0000
"Speed" = 1.5000
"Timestep" = 1.2000
Transparent Cube:
"Opacity During Rotation" = 75.0000
"Opacity When Not Rotating" = 100.0000
"Fade Time" = 1.0000
"Transparency Only on Mouse Rotate" = Checked.
Actions:
"Unfold" = "
"Next Slide" = "space"
"Prev Slide" = ""
Expo
Appearance:
"Reflection" = Checked. I like the look of this plug-in better when the reflection is enabled, but if it runs slowly, you can turn it off.
Actions:
"Expo" = "
Rotate Cube
Here we make some minor adjustments to sweeten the animation.
General:
"Edge Flip Move" = Checked.
"Edge Flip DnD" = Checked.
"Flip Time" = 350
"Pointer Sensitivity" = 1.0000
"Acceleration" = 1.0000
Snap to Top Face = Checked.
Speed = 2.0000
Timestep = 1.0000
Zoom = 0.0000
Actions:
"Initiate", Key = "None", Button = "
"Rotate Left" = "
"Rotate Right" = "
"Rotate Left with Window" = "
"Rotate Right with Window" = "
Fading Windows
Window Decoration
I will finish this post soon and revise it. I wanted to post it now because it is useful even as is, and the new compiz settings manager (available in Ubuntu Hardy Heron) is slightly different so I need to go back through and update it for that.
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