In this article I am going to show you how to configure:

• Skydome: The background image shown when your cube zooms out.
• Cube caps: The images on the top and bottom of your cube.
• Deformation and Reflection: Is your cube a sphere or a cylinder? Do you have a reflection of your cube or not?

When you have these options configured, you will have a seriously cool desktop.

Skydome and Cube caps

Figure 1

To begin your configuration you need to open up the CompizConfig Settings Manager. If you are using GNOME you will see this in the Preferences sub menu of the System menu. Once this opens click on the Desktop Cube entry. In this configuration you want to click on the Appearance tab (see Figure 1).

The first thing you need to do is make sure the Enable Desktop Cube is checked. With that out of the way take a look at the Appearance tab. You will see both Cube Caps and Skydome here. Oddly enough, you will only configure the Skydome here.

To configure your Skydome first click the check box to enable the Skydome. Now click on the folder icon to the right of the Skydome text area. This is where you will locate the image for your Skydome. You can use either .jpg or .png files for this.

Once you have this complete click the Back button at the bottom left.

Now if you want to better see your Skydome click on the Rotate Cube configuration and then adjust the Zoom option. The Zoom option zooms out of the Cube so as you rotate the Cube it is smaller. I keep mine at .6525. Click the Back button when you are done.

Figure 2

Now to configure the Cube Caps. To do this click on the “Cube Reflection and Deformation” option. In this section expand the Appearance section of the Cube Caps section (see Figure 2). Here you will do the same thing you did with Skydome. Make sure you configure both the top and bottom Cube Caps.

Within this same section click on the Deformation tab. In this section click the Deformation drop down and select which type of Deformation you want. NOTE: The Sphere deformation does take a bit more resources than the Cylinder. If you have the power go for the Sphere, otherwise either None or the Cynlinder.

You can also enable Reflection which will reflect your cube either on the bottom or the top. To enable this click on the Reflection tab and then check the Enable box. After you have enabled it you can then customize it how ever you like.

Results

Figure 3

Figure 3 shows the results of these configurations. Obviously your results will vary depending upon what and how you configure these options.

Final thoughts

I am a big fan of Compiz. Although it doesn’t directly help you to be a better, more efficient worker, it will allow you to create an impressive working environment on your PC. Show off how powerful the Linux desktop can be by configuring the Compiz Cube.

UPDATE: Below are the images used in this tutorial:

Skydome image

Wallpaper image

Icons can also be piled up on the BumpTop desktop easily. It is for example possible to create a pile of all Word documents or photos on the desktop. They can also be fanned out quickly to see what files it contains. The pro version adds flipping through the pile with the scroll wheel to that. Icon sizes can be altered manually to give them more room on the desktop which makes it easier to identify them. The pro version will grow popular files automatically.

The search as you type feature will identify matching icons on the computer desktop instantly and it only takes the enter key to open them. Other options include sorting them or bundling them together no matter where they are located on the desktop. Icons can also be tossed around or pinned to walls.

Tossing icons around on the desktop applies to interfaces as well. Tossing a document on the printer will print it while tossing a photo on the Facebook icon will upload it to the web portal. Facebook, Twitter and Email are currently supported by BumpTop. Several other features can be accessed like adding photo RSS feeds to the desktop or utilizing the capabilities of touch-screen interfaces.

BumpTop is fun to play around with. It does take some practice to get used to the new interface though. It is a well thought out Windows desktop alternative.

The program that offers a similar function for older Windows versions is called Madotate. It adds another icon to every window next to the icons on the top right corner. If the new icon is pressed the window will be changed from 2d into 3d. Every window has a short tab that displays the title of the window. Left-clicking a 3D window changes it again from 3d into 2D mode, you can move it around by keeping the left mouse button pressed. Right-clicking the window makes it possible to change the point of view for that window which means that you can give it more space or less space on your desktop.

The most important aspect of the application is that it uses only a few megabytes of system memory will the feature in Windows Vista requires a lot.