I’m a big fan of 3D desktop and I was disappointed to find out that I couldn’t use Ubuntu’s desktop effects due to the fact I was relying on the fglrx drivers due to my use of an ATI video card.
3D-Desktop, or 3ddesk, is a program which provides a 3 dimensional workspace switcher; 3ddesk works under GNOME and KDE.
A useful add-on which you should consider installing as soon as you get 3D-Desktop is 3ddeskfx which adds different modes and views for the 3D switcher.
The switcher itself appears on a black background and provides screenshots of your different workspaces and these screenshots can be displayed in a variety of manners. One, for example, has them as a cylinder whilst another has them as a straight line. Arrow keys are used for navigating between the screenshots and when you find the workspace you’re after you simply whack ‘enter’/'return’ and it zooms into that desktop. The process of navigating is fantastically animated in all cases. Consequently, it requires a graphics card with good support for OpenGL and is fairly CPU intensive.
The only problem I’ve found with it so far is that the screenshots don’t seem to update. I believe this is because I’m using another pager – the one included by default in Ubuntu – but I’m not completely certain. Screenshots only update when you’ve switched to that workspace.
Productivity wise, you’d be best off mapping the command ‘3ddesk’ to a keyboard shortcut which can be done through the steps included at this page (obviously editing the command).
A few screenshots of 3ddesk at action are below (© Joe Anderson 2007 under the GFDL):
Tags: ubuntu, linux, 3d, 3d desktop, desktop effects, eyecandy, software, free, cool
Have you tried the latest Compiz Fusion? If you follow the instructions at http://kevin.vanzonneveld.net/techblog/article/enable_compizfusion_in_ubuntu_feisty/ it should be easy to install. Even with an ATI card (although I’ve only tried it witn a nVidia card). And the best part is, that it is always updating (rotating cube while playing a movie or 3D window switcher with active websites: no problem!)
I use Compiz Fusion on Ubuntu with an ATI 1950xt. It was very easy to install, taking maybe 10 minutes. It requires XGL to run if you use ATI. Here’s the guide I used.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CompositeManager
More help can be found via IRC at #ubuntu-effects and #compiz-fusion on irc.freenode.net
I tried something like this being under Ubuntu 7.04 I got the pack in repositories. It worked but did’t have a button to appeal. It was like I could watch the possible 3-d effects but could do nothing to launch them.