04 August, 2006 by josecc in General.
Would you like to have the better Desktop Linux ? It's possible and not hard to do. Try these simple steps:
1.- Install Open Suse 10.1 on your PC or Laptop (x86 and x86_64 architectures).
Continue ...
2.- If you are using Open Suse DVD, install "smart" package with all dependencies (use yast2 or rug to do this).
3.- Once you have "smart" package, we will add some channels to be able to install software which is not part of Open Suse 10.1. You need to know in this point, this software not always is stable, ok?. Execute these commands as root:
(Answer 'y', yes after each command)
// Open Suse 10.1 Network source install. x86, x86_64 and ppc architectures.
# smart channel --add inst-source-Suse101 type=yast2 baseurl=http://ftp.leo.org/mirrors/opensuse/distribution/SL-10.1/inst-source/
// Open Suse 10.1 Network Non Oss source install. x86, x86_64 and ppc architectures.
# smart channel --add non-oss-inst-Suse101 type=yast2 baseurl=http://ftp.leo.org/mirrors/opensuse/distribution/SL-10.1/non-oss-inst-source/
// Open Suse UPDATES 10.1 Network source install. x86, x86_64 and ppc architectures.
# smart channel --add updates-Suse101 type=rpm-md baseurl=http://ftp.leo.org/pub/suse/update/10.1/
// New Compiz Quinn repository. XGL, Compiz, etc.
# smart channel --add http://software.opensuse.org/download/Compiz-Quinn/SUSE_Linux_10.1/Compiz-Quinn.repo
// IMPORTANT to have 3D support. (look at http://www.suse.de/~sndirsch/ to Nvidia and ATI HOWTO on Open Suse)
// IF and only IF you have Nvidia Video Card, try this:
# smart channel --add video-nvidia type=rpm-md baseurl=ftp://download.nvidia.com/novell/
// IF and only IF you have ATI Video Card, try this:
# smart channel --add video-ati type=rpm-md baseurl=http://www2.ati.com/suse/
// Netx lines are optional.
// A lot of software ... browse if you like.
# smart channel --add packman type=yast2 baseurl=http://packman.unixheads.com/suse/10.1/
// More a lot of software ... browse if you like.
# smart channel --add suser-guru type=yast2 baseurl=http://ftp.gwdg.de/pub/linux/misc/suser-guru/rpm/10.1/
// Now update the channels content.
# smart update
// Now upgrade all the software in these channels.
# smart upgrade
(Answer 'y', yes and go to take a coffee.)
At this point, we have a system upgrade. On linux, not always is necessary to restart the system, but when a lot of software were update, I think it's necessary to do... restart please.
Ok, now we are going to configure our 3D wonderful desktop.
4.- First, we need to configure our Video Card. Choose one of two cases, if you have Nvidia or ATI video card, else search google to your video card, sorry.
//Nvidia. "kernel-flavor" depends on your installed kernel. Check with "uname -r"
# smart install x11-video-nvidia nvidia-gfx-kmp-"kernel-flavor"
//ATI "kernel-flavor" depends on your installed kernel. Check with "uname -r" for installed default/smp/bigsmp kernel.
# smart install x11-video-fglrx ati-fglrx-kmp-"kernel-flavor"
4.1- Configure video settings with sax2, and be sure you have 3D support enable.
# sax2 -r
5.- Now install or upgrade XGL, Compiz and friends:
# smart install xgl xgl-hardware-list compiz gset-compiz cgwd-themes
Ready!!! ... active XGL support.
Execute this command, logout the session and login again.
# gnome-xgl-switch --enable-xgl
If you have a good luck, now you have a very nice desktop with 3D effects. Else, if not all is ok, disable XGL and ask to Google, it is your friend.
// How to disable XGL support
# gnome-xgl-switch --disable-xgl
6.- Very nice, but ... but there are more: You can use Compiz themes!!. Try this(no need to be root):
$ cgwd --replace &
// Choose a theme.
$ gcompizthemer
7.- (Optional) If you not want to execute 'cgwd --replace &' avery time you login, open '/opt/gnome/bin/gnome-wm' file, go to line 49(aprox) and replace /usr/bin/gnome-window-decorator with /usr/bin/cgwd . Please be carefully with this small hack.
// Before (line 49):
/usr/bin/gnome-window-decorator --replace &
// Now (line 49):
/usr/bin/cgwd --replace &
It's all, Thanks. If you have a comment, please let me to know.
Screenshots:
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josecc+xglcompiz @ g m a i l . c o m
Note: These configurations were tested on 04/08/2006, and some things can change. Look for news on the next links.
Links:
JoseCC Web
http://www.josecc.net
Open Suse
http://www.opensuse.org
Compiz - Forums & Community
http://www.compiz.net
SUSE LINUX Compiz-Quinn packages
http://www.compiz.net/viewtopic.php?id=119
Compiz Blog
http://compiz.blogspot.com/
Nvidia and ATI HOWTO on Open Suse
http://www.suse.de/~sndirsch/
Posted By Krycheq on 15 September, 2006
I couldn't make this work in SLED 10... when I did this, I lost all window decorations and kept getting the error from cgwd that it could not find its theme information and was reverting to default.
Posted By amlucent23 on 23 August, 2006
Im getting errors on the compwiz quinn depo:
SLEDLAPTOP:/home/Tony/Packages/ndiswrapper-1.23 # smart channel --add http://software.opensuse.org/download/Compiz-Quinn/SUSE_Linux_10.1/Compiz-Quinn.repo
Fetching channel description...
-> http://software.opensuse.org/download/Compiz-Quinn/.../Compiz-Quinn.repo
Compiz-Quinn.repo [ 0%]
error: Unable to fetch channel description: (-2, 'Name or service not known')
Posted By Jan on 23 August, 2006
Hello,
I tried this on my laptop: Asus A6F which has a Core Duo CPU with an integrated Mobile intel 945GM Express video card. I skipped the "kernel flavour" step described above because I didn't know which packages to use for my hardware. Xgl and the eye candy seems to work but terribly slow! I takes ten minutes just to open my firefox and every other animation is incredibly slow. Is my hardware just too slow or can I fix something with a new driver? Under sax2 I can see that I have 3D support enabled.
Anyone who can help?
Regards,
Jan
Posted By Jan on 23 August, 2006
Hello,
I tried this on my laptop: Asus A6F which has a Core Duo CPU with an integrated Mobile intel 945GM Express video card. I skipped the "kernel flavour" step described above because I didn't know which packages to use for my hardware. Xgl and the eye candy seems to work but terribly slow! I takes ten minutes just to open my firefox and every other animation is incredibly slow. Is my hardware just too slow or can I fix something with a new driver? Under sax2 I can see that I have 3D support enabled.
Anyone who can help?
Regards,
Jan
Posted By Alonzo on 18 August, 2006
I've tried XGL on Live-CDs, it's really great, but I'm not touching it until it plays nice with KDE. There's not way I'm gonna have Gnome stuff running on my desktop.
Posted By sexer on 10 August, 2006
im done but, i dont have xgl effects, only the cube (ctrl+alt+arrows) but i cant see the windows effects, only the cube and menus, what i have to configure or active? or install... thx man u a good in this... :)
Posted By JoseCC [website] on 10 August, 2006
Hi sexer. As you can see, you are looking for a Compiz-Quinn package. So you can find this on http://software.opensuse.org/download/Compiz-Quinn/SUSE_Linux_10.1/
But, don't forget to read http://www.compiz.net/viewtopic.php?id=119 about any change. Ok?
Posted By sexer on 10 August, 2006
i got a problem instaling xgl, gset-compiz match no package, that mean i dont have the pack, then how i can add manual this one?
Posted By JoseCC [website] on 08 August, 2006
Update about smart-0.42-5.guru.suse101.
On smart 0.42, RPM package signatures should be verified before installing. So, you need access to a keyserver via 11371 port.
linux:~ # smart config --set keyserver=pgp.mit.edu
If you are behind a firewall and don't have access to 11371 port, try to disable this feature:
linux:~ # smart config --set rpm-check-signatures=false
good luck
