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Shake, Rattle & Roll: Add Cool Effects to your Desktop

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PCQ Bureau
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Please note, by default PCQLinux 2007 Desktop does not start X Window. To

start X, issue 'startx' at command line (after login as root or any other user).

In case the X Window does not start, issue system-config-display to configure

the monitor (or screen) and the graphics card. Last but not the least, the

desktop effects work only on Gnome, which is the default window environment on

PCQLinux 2007. KDE users can look at an alternative called Beryl. Refer to

http:// tinyurl.com/2nhbxj to install and setup Beryl.

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What it takes to enable all these desktop effects? In most cases, you will

need to click on System>Preferences>Desktop Effects on the top panel of your

PCQLinux 2007 desktop. Subsequently click on 'Enable Desktop Effects' button.

When prompted, to keep the settings, click on 'Keep Settings.' In case you get a

message that the desktop effects can't be enabled then either your graphics card

is not supported or a little bit of tweaking (in configuration files) and/or

driver installation may be required. Users with NVIDIA graphics card, refer to

the following section.

Desktop effects with NVIDIA cards



Download and install NVIDIA graphics drivers by following instructions at


www.nvidia.com/content/ drivers/drivers.asp
. Open the file xorg.conf found

in /etc/X11 directory in a text editor and edit it using the following

instructions:

Find the line which says “Section Module,” and add the following line below

it



Load "extmod"

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Find the line which says “Section Device” and add the following line below

it.



Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"

Finally, append the following at the end of the file:



Section "Extensions"


Option "Composite"


EndSection

Save the file and restart X Window. Hit CTRL+ALT+BackSpace to stop the X

Server. Then issue startx on the command line.





Press CTRL+ALT+Left Mouse

Button and move the mouse to rotate through the four virtual desktops


Drag a maximized window

from its borders to tear down a maximized window




You can give a wobbly

effect to a window by simply moving or dragging it. See the window dancing

across your desktop
Press CTRL+ALT+Down Arrow.

Subsequently, Left and Right arrow keys to scroll through the desktops




Move the mouse to the

extreme top right corner of the desktop to arrange the open windows as

thumbnails
Use Alt+Mouse Wheel Scroll

Down (to increase transparency) and Scroll Up (to decrease transparency or

to resume opacity)

There are many other cool effects in PCQ Linux 2007 Desktop, which we leave

for you to explore. Enjoy!

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