For those who don't know, compiz is a Window manager that can be used with XGL to provide a new level of "eye candy" for Linux, and it just got better.

Beryl is a fork of Compiz, and comes with some fantastic tools that make running XGL/Beryl even easier such as the Beryl Manager notification area icon that allows you to easily restart the window manager or window decorator or switch between your previous ones. Also a very handy fall-back window manager option is included whereby if Beryl crashes (hasn't happened yet but still it is beta software) it can fall back to your previous window manager or restart Beryl.

Another introduction is the Emerald window decorator that was previously known as CGWD. The Compiz settings tool has also been updated and is now called the Beryl Settings Manager. Both apps have had a makeover with Beryl Settings Manager having an entire reorganisation making it better then ever. Aside from this a few new effects have been added, some new minimise/maximise effects such as an OSX genie style and one that spins/shrinks the window. The blur/motion blur plug-in is working much better and many other effects such as cube rotate and wobbly windows seem to be smoother.

Compiz is really coming along nicely now that it has become Beryl. I look forward to seeing what the future brings, hopefully Beryl will be included in Ubuntu Edgy instead of Compiz.



0 Comments

Submit your comment

You must be a registered user and logged-in to post comments.

Login or Register

View All View Archive Page:     1 2 3 ... 38 39 40