In this post we will talk a bit about installing softwares which are generally not installed by default but are must have for any Ubuntu installation.

WARNING: Don’t do this unless you’ve a system with a good amount of video memory. Intel on-board graphics with 8MB of video memory are generally enough for basic Compiz effects.

Note – nVidia users: Go to System > Administration > Hardware Drivers and enable (and download) the Restricted Proprietary nVidia graphics driver.

We will now learn how to install Compiz the composite window manager for Ubuntu using Add and Remove Application Option

Also, we will install Emerald theme manager later on which gives great themes to our desktop (rather decoration for our desktop in technical terms).

So, lets start with installing Compiz first .We’ll do so the two ways THE TRADITIONAL WAY & THE NEW WAY(or the preferred one for linoobs)

THE TRADITIONAL WAY

• Go to System > Administration > Synaptic Application Manager.
• Then select select “All” (Applications) in show menu (refer emerald installation screenshots ).
• In the search box type compiz (on manually search for it if you’re that free )
• Click the check-box on the left to mark it for Installation. Don’t forget to also mark compizconfig-settings-manager. Synaptic will ask you to automatically mark other Dependencies.
• And then click “Apply Changes”

THE NEW WAY (USING ADD/REMOVE APPLICATIONS)

• The new way isn’t much of difference since the things in the background remain the except for the fact that now you acn do that with few clicks
• Go to Applications>Add & Remove Applications
• Then just make sure you allow installation of all available applications in the show tab (refer screenshot)
• In the search box type compiz and then just click apply changes

To configure the effects of Compiz go to System > Preferences > CompizConfig Settings Manager.

To enable Desktop Cube Effect, click on the check-box “Desktop Cube” (disable desktop wall)and also “Rotate Cube” (refer screenshots)

We are done enabling the Compiz but still we have to make a cube out of it

So just go to the bottom panel/taskbar and right click the “Current Workspace” area and increase the Coluomns to 4 from default 2

Press Ctrl+Alt and drag your mouse towards right or left while pressing the left mouse button (alternatively you may use keyboard arrow keys) and WoW…!!!!

Now last but not the least it’s turn of Emerald theme manager as promised:

• Go to System>Administration> Synaptic Package Manager
• In the seachbox type “emerald” (without quotes)
• Left click the checkbox the select “Mark For Installation” (further select mark)
• The click Apply on the menubar (again click apply)

To configure Emerald go to System > Prefrences > Emerald Theme Manager

Click Import to import theme and then select the theme & quit (you may not immediately see the changes)

Note - To immediately see changes press Alt+F2 and run “emerald –replace” (without quotes)

To make the changes visible everytime we may have to start emerald at startup/logon

• To do so go to System>Prefrences>Startup Application
• The click add to add a startup program with command “emerald –replace” (without quotes)(refer screenshot)

Themes can be download from Compiz Theme and Gnome-Look