Compiz is one of the first compositing window managers for the X Window System that uses 3D graphics hardware to create fast compositing desktop effects for window management. The effects, such as a minimization effect and a cube workspace are implemented as loadable plugins. Because it conforms to the Inter-Client Communication Conventions Manual standard, Compiz can substitute for the default Metacity in GNOME or KWin in KDE.
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Compiz Blog
Compiz Blog. A repository for Compiz plugin knowledge. Kept update with all the latest Compiz ... can start updating the blog again - but I'm still incredibly ...compiz.blogspot.com/Compiz Blog: Introduction to Compiz/XGL
Compiz Blog. A repository for Compiz plugin knowledge. ... This blog is devoted to the developments in two packages/programs: Xgl and Compiz. ...compiz.blogspot.com/2006/03/introduction-to-compizxgl.htmlSmSpillaz' Blog
Compiz Stuff. Legal. Other Works. Profiles. SpringDesk. SmSpillaz' Blog. Entries RSS | Comments RSS ... "I think the Compiz guys and girls need to work hard on ...smspillaz.wordpress.com/Forlong's Blog - How to set up Compiz Fusion
blogage.de > Forlong's Blog > Entry > 29. August 2007 > How to set up Compiz Fusion ... for this blog entry that describes how to install Compiz Fusion on Ubuntu ...forlong.blogage.de/article/2007/8/29/How-to-set-up-Compiz-Fu...Forlong's Blog - Compiz-Switch
Forlong's Blog. I'm trying to comprehend the things I write. Compiz-Switch ... Do not just copy & paste the following to your blog/forum – find out why ...forlong.blogage.de/entries/pages/Compiz-SwitchCompiz is one of the first compositing window managers for the X Window System that uses 3D graphics hardware to create fast compositing desktop effects for window management. The effects, such as a minimization effect and a cube workspace are implemented as loadable plugins. Because it conforms to the Inter-Client Communication Conventions Manual standard, Compiz can substitute for the default Metacity in GNOME or KWin in KDE.
Some of its features mimic those of competitors, such as Exposé in Apple's Mac OS X and an Alt-Tab application-switcher that uses live previews, instead of just icons. The Composite extension to X is used, as is the OpenGL extension GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap . The first version of Compiz was released as free software by Novell (SUSE) in January 2006 in the wake of the also new Xgl.
Hardware requirements
Initially, Compiz only worked with 3D hardware which was supported by Xgl. Most NVIDIA and ATI graphics cards are known to work with Compiz on Xgl. Since May 22, 2006 Compiz works on the standard X.Org Server, by using AIGLX. Besides the Intel GMA graphics cards, AIGLX also supports using the ATI graphics cards (including R300,R400 and R500 cards) using the open-source radeon driver which supports GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap since fall 2006.
NVIDIA's binary drivers (since Version 1.0-9629) support GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap on standard X.Org server.
ATI/AMD's binary drivers do since version 8.42.
Merge of the Compiz and Beryl communities
On March 30, 2007 the discussions between the Beryl (a fork of Compiz) and Compiz communities led to a merge of the two communities which results in two new software packages:
- Compiz, (also Compiz-core) which contains only the core functionality of compiz and base plugins
- Compiz Fusion, consisting of the plugins, decorators, settings tools and related applications from the Beryl and Compiz communities. Its main activity is focused in installation, configuration and additional plugins to be added to the core functionalities of Compiz.
It has been also agreed to fund a code review panel consisting of the best developers from each community who will see that any code included in a release package meets the highest standards and is suitable for distribution in an officially supported package.
Further branches
In the fourth quarter of 2008, two separate branches of Compiz were created: compiz++ and NOMAD; while compiz++ was geared toward the separation of compositing and OpenGL layers for the rendering of the window manager without compositing effects, and the port from C to C++ programming language. NOMAD was geared towards the improvement of remote desktop performance for Compiz installations.
