Enable Desktop Cube in Ubuntu 11.04

To enable Desktop Cube you must have Single-Row-Workspace. At the bottom right of the screen, right click on the Workspaces and select Preferences. Now change the number of Rows to 1 and Columns to 4.

Now go to System -> Preferences -> CompizConfig Settings Manager, Desktop tab. Disable (uncheck) Desktop Wall and Expo. Now enable Desktop Cube, and Rotate Cube.

Optional : You can enable 3D Windows in Effects tab if you want to.

Note : You can have a Pentagon or a hexagon, etc by changing the Number of Columns to 5 or 6, etc in the workspace preferences

Desktop Effects and Wobbly Windows in Ubuntu 11.04

Its quite disappointing that the new Ubuntu does not have "Visual Effects" tab in the Appearance window like window. You still can get the desktop effects though. 


For Desktop Effects :


Before enabling the features, you must ensure that you have "CompizConfig Settings Manager" (ccsm) installed. If you don't, then type in
sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager 
in the terminal. Enter your password and install  ccsm. Once ccsm is installed, type in 
sudo apt-get install compiz-fusion-plugins-extra
and press enter. Enter your password and install it. 


Now go to System -> Preferences -> CompizConfig Settings Manager.
On the left, select the Effects tab. Ensure that Animations Add-On is checked, else check it. Now click on Animations. A new window opens up. Now follow the below instructions carefully.


+ In the Open Animation tab, Open Effect Column double click each effect and choose Random for the effect. Set the Durations as 540, 180, 180 for the three effects respectively
+ In the Close Animation tab, Close Effect Column double click each effect and choose Random for the effect. Set the Durations as 540, 180, 150 for the three effects respectively.
+ In the Minimize Animation tab, Minimize Effect column double click the effect and choose Random for the effect. Let the Duration be as it is at 220.
+ In the Shade Animation tab, Shade Effect column double click the effect and choose Random for the effect. Let the Duration be as it is at 300.
+ In the Focus Animation tab, Focus Effect column double click the effect and choose Wave for the effect. Set the Duration to 200.




For Wobbly Windows:


Before you enable "Wobbly Windows" you must * disable Snapping Windows *. If you don't do this, you might end up damaging your Ubuntu and I do not know how to revert back. So, first go to CompizConfig Settings Manager. Go to the Window Management tab and deselect "Snapping Windows". Ensure that it is disabled. Now go to  Effects tab and enable Wobbly Windows. It should work fine now. 


There! You have it, the Ubuntu Desktop effects running smoothly!
Note: If you are having problems such as viewing a plain white window when you select it, you might want to disable the Focus Animation/Effect. Just delete the Focus Effect and everything should work fine.

Shift window panel buttons to the right (minimize, maximize, close)

Now for those who are new to ubuntu and will have observed that the close,maximize,minimize buttons are to the left. If you like it, fine. But if you are used to them being on the right, here's what you've to do.

Open the terminal (Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal or Ctrl+Alt+T, if you haven't changed the hotkey :P). In the terminal, enter gconf-editor. A new window opens up, "Configuration Editor". Select apps -> metacity -> general. 

In the "Name" column look for "button_layout". The default value set is :close,minimize,maximize. Change the value to minimize,maximize,close:

The colon is very important. The colon is the one which decides the position of the buttons either to the left or to the right. Close the Configuration editor and the terminal.

There you have it! Buttons to the right! :)