Compiz Fusion vs Aero

Who said Linux Desktops are bore ??
Check out these screenshots of my Ubuntu 7.10 desktop with Compiz Fusion enabled below...these are only 2 of the 30 odd effects which are available FREE of cost since it is released under the GNU Public License (GPL)

The "Cube" effect showing all 4 workspaces as a cube

The Ring Switcher

here's all the features in this video...



But with Windows' new Aero there aren't as many customizable effects as Compiz....

The "famous" Flip 3D

Other effects like Video playback in thumbnails and preview windows etc are also present in Compiz Fusion....

The best part being that it being FREE...

My Verdict : If you really don't need Windows....Compiz rocks...

Jargon Buster : Motherboards

The first in the series of a few jargon busters i have planned :

1.MoBo : A MotherBoard

2. Northbridge : This is the chip that interconnects the CPU, RAM, video card, and the Southbridge. On Intel specific MoBos, it features the memory controller and can also be called as Memory Controller Hub ( MCH). The Northbridge also assigns the clock frequency of the processor and thus is the most important factor defining the overclocking potential of the MoBo.
It is generally plced on the upper half of the MoBO and hence the name Northbridge.

3.Southbridge : The I/O Contoller Hub ( ICH ) or Sothbridge connects all the input and output ports to the processor through the Northbridge. The PCI bus, PCI Express x1 x2 and x4 slots and all other peripheral buses connect through here. The Southbridge of the MoBO defines what onboard IDE controller, USB controller, sound card, and Ethernet adapter goes into the system.

4.eSATA : eSATA allows one to connect high-capacity eSATA capable external SATA drives to the computer. It performs as a regular SATA port, making it much quicker than USB and Fire Wire interfaces. The eSATA standard allows cable lengths upto 2 meters .

5.RAID : Redundant Array of Independent Disks ( RAID ) is a standard for storage devices that allows enhanced performance, reliability and fault tolerance compared to a single hard-disk, It requires the use of multiple disks that store data in 'stripped' RAID 0 or 'mirrored' RAID 1 modes depending on the configuration.

6.FSB : The Front Side Bus ( FSB ) is the bus that facilitates communication between the CPU and the Northbridge. Since the memory and all other peripherals are connected to the processor through the Northbridge it is the FSB that passes data to the CPU. Thus the speed of the FSB ( in MHz ) is the speed of the data transfer to and from the processor.

This is all for now...do keep in touch for the next in this series...
Cheers :) !!

Changing the GRUB splash screen

GRUB stands for GRand Unified Bootloader, which is a boot-loader shipped with many popular Linux distros.
If you are bored with the default splash screen...here's a way how you can change it :

The method I'll be describing here is applicable for Ubuntu but can be applied to other distros using GRUB easily...

First try downloading a good GRUB splash screen of your choice from sites like GNOME look...
the downloaded file must have a ' .xpm.gz ' extension ( you might have to unzip the downloaded file first). Copy the file into the /boot/grub directory. At the terminal type :

sudo cp /your downlaod directory/ filename.xpm.gz /boot/grub/filename.xpm.gz

where - "download directory" is your download directory and "filename" is the downloaded file's name

Next, at the terminal type :

sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

Next, find this line:

## ## End Default Options ##


look for the following line just below the above line

root (hdx,y)

(x and y are numbers)
Note down x and y

Below the line : ## ## End Default Options ##

Add this line :

splashimage=(hdx,y)/boot/grub/filename.xpm.gz

Replace x,y with your with the x and y you noted earlier...

Your file should now look like this :
-
## ## End Default Options ##
splashimage=(hdx,y)/boot/grub/filename.xpm.gz

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.18-11-generic
root (hdx,y)
|
|
|
and some more lines....

You might see different titles, which depends upon your distro...
-
Save the file, and reboot ..
Enjoy your new splash screen !!
Cheers !!