Desktop Environment: Native vs Compiz Fusion

[dstuttgen]

I am having a hard time understanding the use for the boingy 3D effects.  So, please tell me if you use the native or 3D effect desktop environment and why you like or dislike one over the other.

I would tend to think that the 3D effects would utilize more resources. Is that correct?

Let's hear from you!

Cheers!

[menotu]

Hi dstuttgen

I use KDE 4.5.5 so answer is related to that desktop.

You are correct that it will utilize more resources if you use 3D, be it KWin or Compiz.

Personally I've found I don't see any difference speed wise when using either one but my machine seems upto the job; on a lower spec machine it would give a performance hit, especially if the graphics card is a tad old and/or the driver isn't the best.

I was always a big fan of Compiz (still am actually) but I now use KWin as I find it has improved greatly as KDE 4x has progressed and it seems to fit in well with the overall Plasma themes.  And it does all the neat things I like therefore no longer need to install Compiz separately.

On both Compiz and Kwin I found it useful to turn all the effects "off" and enable them one at a time to see what each option actually did - when I got a bit more savvy with them I was then able to set the ones I like. 

[charsan2]

I am having a hard time understanding the use for the boingy 3D effects.  So, please tell me if you use the native or 3D effect desktop environment and why you like or dislike one over the other.

I would tend to think that the 3D effects would utilize more resources. Is that correct?

Let's hear from you!

Cheers!

I like the effects, that is why I use it. The eye candy and I have gotten people to use Linux because of compiz 3d

[coffeetime]

When I'm in the mood for 3D:

LXDE/XFCE/Gnome --> Compiz-Fusion
E17 --> Ecomorph
WMii --> 3D anaglyph glasses 

I would tend to think that the 3D effects would utilize more resources. Is that correct?

No idea, but 3D works very good on my EeePC 900

[dstuttgen]

Thank you all for the replies. It gives me something to think about in deciding whether or not I want to run 3D effects.

Thanks again.

[Aradalf]

LXDE/XFCE/Gnome --> Compiz-Fusion

How have you gotten Compiz to work with LXDE? I can only get Cairo Composite Manager to work with LXDE. Also, I can probably get XCompMgr to work, but I haven't tried.

[coffeetime]

Yep...it works like a charm

[Aradalf]

Yep...it works like a charm


http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/651/lxdecompiz1.png






http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/2121/lxdecompiz2.png

Must be my video card, then...

[escapingsummer]

Yes the effects mentioned use more resources. Compositing managers use more resources than tiling or stacking window managers so therefore the effects provided by compiz, kwin, and the like are going to use more resources. As for the issues with effects, it may be your physical hardware but also check that you have an updated version of gl on your system, I am a full-time Xfce user however I was messing with KDE two months ago and the effects of Kwin crawled on my ATI card with 512mb ddr5. I knew this couldn't be my card because under Xfce it ran fine, however KDE 4.5 for some reason didn't like my version of gl installed on my system. I updated and it was fixed.

[Bald Brick]

I mainly use Kwin with lots of effects but I've used Compiz with even more effects. In KDE3 I used Compiz all the time.

And I've never understood the complaints about the desktop effects eating up resources.

While you keep playing with the cube or minimizing windows with strange effects both Kwin and Compiz will need lots of resources. But while you are just writing a letter or adding data to a spreadsheet or watching a movie neither Kwin nor Compiz will use either much memory or a noticeable amount of CPU cycles. They will just sit there in the background waiting for you to start playing with the cube again.

[Ramchu]

How can I scale down the size of the cube ?
On my computer it is huge - there is no way I
can get a screenshot such as coffeetime's

[menotu]

How can I scale down the size of the cube ?
On my computer it is huge - there is no way I
can get a screenshot such as coffeetime's

For KwIn

Choose the Spanner Icon next to Desktop Cube in

Configure Your Desktop >> Workspace Appearance & Behaviour  >> Desktop Effects >> All Effects

and choose the Advanced Tab - there are 2 "Sliders" you can play around with - they'll do what you want I think - specifically the "Zoom" function will resize the Cube

[escapingsummer]

I love Xfce's compositor. As I always say "Xfce for those with better things to do than wobble their windows" no offense to those whom like them but as a developer and packager I need to squeeze a lot out of my system. I am a fan of programming minimalism so lightweight DE's like Xfce and LXDE are my forte. But for those whom like the effects I understand why. They are pretty and Artwork and eye candy shouldn't be ignored. Sproggy if you need any help with Xfce I would love to help anyway I can. I have to admit I am an Xfce fanboy

[Ramchu]

How can I scale down the size of the cube ?
On my computer it is huge - there is no way I
can get a screenshot such as coffeetime's

For KwIn

Choose the Spanner Icon next to Desktop Cube in

Configure Your Desktop >> Workspace Appearance & Behaviour  >> Desktop Effects >> All Effects[/i

and choose the Advanced Tab - there are 2 "Sliders" you can play around with - they'll do what you want I think - specifically the "Zoom" function will resize the Cube

Thank You ! Got it !