Making Linux Simple!
Install Compiz Fusion on Ubuntu: Karmic Koala
Compiz brings some real eye candy to Linux and makes it look better than any other operating system on the planet. Some argue that the real power of Linux lies in it’s terminal and I dont refute the fact. However, if you want to make linux a household name you have to ensure that Linux has the visual elements which soothes the eye. You don’t have to go too far and compiz can make it a great looking OS.

Enable Hardware Drivers
Unfortunately compiz effects are dependent on your graphic card. The better you have the better it’ll look. Let’s see how to enable the hardware drivers to support the compiz capabilities. Go to System > Administration > Hardware Drivers to detect the graphic card and to install associated drivers.


Install Compiz Config Setting Manager on Ubuntu
Once you have installed the required drivers, we need to install compiz fusion on Ubuntu. You can install it by dropping to the terminal and typing the following command:
sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

Depending on your connection speed, compiz config manager will be installed.
Starting CCSM (Compiz Config Setting Manager)
You can install and start playing with compiz using the ccsm. You can start it by going to System > Preferences > CompizConfig Settings Manager.

In the next post in the same series we’ll see how to configure CCSM for some amazing effects, along with the infamous cube!
Related posts:
| Print article | This entry was posted by Vivek on October 15, 2009 at 3:12 pm, and is filed under Featured, How-to, Ubuntu. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
No trackbacks yet.
Comments are closed.










about 10 months ago
big cheers for this .. bit of feedback
PC with quad core 8mB RAM .. fun with Compiz
Laptop with 1.9 Athlon 2mB .. turn it off!
Vivek, come check me out at guvnr.com
.. i suspect you may like my VPS tuts .. and maybe put me right on a few things about my Karmic Bible series
nice to find your site.
about 9 months ago
Wow, 8mb of RAM. that’s not good.
about 9 months ago
Hey, Vivek
Great post. Mind sharing the wallpaper?
about 9 months ago
hey mate. thanks for the comment. I am not sure if I remember where I had the wallpaper from. May from http://www.gnome-look.org/ or deviantart.com. I dont even have a copy with me now
about 9 months ago
8mB is most probably Processor cache not RAM .At least on Quad Core processors
about 8 months ago
hi there
very helpfull post, i was wondering if compiz has something like exposé from mac? if it so, how to make it work?
do u have any about how to make ubuntu karmic koala to look like mac OSX…. ?
Im a mac user and well linux is starting to convince me, thanks !!!
about 7 months ago
Hi Vivek, could you please tell me how to install the anaglyph plugin in compiz?
about 7 months ago
When i try to activate the Compiz, there is the following error: “Could not activate the Compiz Functions”. I have an Nvidia Graphikscard. Any knowhow? Thanks a lot
about 5 months ago
i tried installing compiz on karmic koala…
Checking for Xgl: not present.
xset q doesn't reveal the location of the log file. Using fallback /var/log/Xorg.0.log
Detected PCI ID for VGA:
Checking for texture_from_pixmap: not present.
Trying again with indirect rendering:
Checking for texture_from_pixmap: present.
Checking for non power of two support: present.
Checking for Composite extension: present.
Checking screen 1Comparing resolution (1024×768) to maximum 3D texture size (2048): Passed.
Checking for Software Rasterizer: Not present.
Checking for nVidia: not present.
Checking for FBConfig: present.
running under gnome seesion, checking for gnomecompat
Checking for Xgl: not present.
Starting gtk-window-decorator
WARNING: Application calling GLX 1.3 function “glXCreatePixmap” when GLX 1.3 is not supported! This is an application bug!
/usr/bin/compiz.real (cube) – Warn: Failed to load slide: /usr/share/gdm/themes/Human/ubuntu.png
Please help
about 5 months ago
I am sorry but I am not too sure about this error. Google it and see if you are lucky to have someone having the same problem and if it got resolved.
about 5 months ago
Hi Jack,
Do you have the correct drivers for your card. Here's a post that might help you. http://linuxhub.net/2009/06/installing-latest-n...
Good luck
about 5 months ago
@theapu I haven't tried that myself. But there are plenty of tutorial of tutorials. One which I could pull out was, http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=807002