Videos

Shutter is an excellent screen capture program that has a bunch of great effects plugins, but a useful one for even the non-designer is the ability to quickly convert an image into a pdf document. This quick video shows you how easy it is.

You might want to watch it fullscreen in 1080p for detail at YouTube. But if that's not an option, just install Shutter in your Linux distro, click the button to capture the full screen or a specific window (your choice), then click Screenshot in the menu, followed by clicking on Execute a plugin, then choose PDF Export. Save the PDF. Done!

If you're pondering installing a lightweight distro on a laptop or netbook, or just want more speed on your desktop, and want to see what Xubuntu 9.10 is like beyond screenshots, here is a quick spin around it.

Only difference you'll see here is I added my own Desktop Icons, removed the standard ones, and added a few things to the top and bottom panels, all of this is as easy as right clicking the desktop or panels and choosing what you want. I added a few programs that are available in your package manager too.

XFCE is a desktop environment that is lightweight, fast and easy to install and use. Xubuntu is simply Ubuntu with a customized version of XFCE instead of GNOME.

http://www.xubuntu.org

Google Easter Egg 2009/2010 New Years Eve!

I added the snow plugin for Compiz in Ubuntu 9.10 (64bit), then changed my background, skydome and caps for the desktop cube. I feel all festive now. woo hoo, nog!

No, I don't see that flicker on my screen, the screen capture program just has a few hiccups when I capture.

There is a perfectly good how-to for the snow plugin online HERE

And I have a how-to on installing and enabling compiz here

For a larger version click here!

Very glad to report the flicker is gone when I capture video! w00t!

HOW TO GET COMPIZ DESKTOP EFFECTS RUNNING IN UBUNTU:

1.) Make sure you have a 3-D driver enabled, if you use ATI or Nvidia go into System > Administration > Hardware Drivers to detect your graphic/video card and install the driver.

2.) Once that's done you need to install CompizConfig Settings Manager and some plugins. To do so open a terminal and enter in:

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager compiz-fusion-plugins-extra compiz-fusion-plugins-main compiz-plugins emerald

Close the terminal when that's done.

3.) To enable Visual Effects go to System > Preferences > Appearance > Visual Effects and select Extra.

(It is not required, but I recommend rebooting at this point, especially if something isn't working yet)

4.) To select which effects to use, go into System > Preferences > CompizConfig Settings Manager and check the boxed for what you want to use, you can't just click everything, there would be incompatibilities if you did that. For the famous Desktop Cube, you have to enable Desktop Cube AND Cube Rotation as well as 3D Windows to get the usual desired effect. Selecting Cube Reflection and Deformation will give you the cylindrical shape instead of the cube.


Keyboard Shortcuts are available here:
http://wiki.compiz.org/CommonKeyboardShortcuts