28 February 2006 in Code, Tools | Comments enabled

A while back I posted some information about some cool things happening with UI on Linux. As it turns out that was all just prototyping for something much bigger.

XGL is the final result of that prototyping and I have to say – it looks wicked. I don’t know about functional but it certainly adds the much needed gloss that the linux desktop has lacked.

Some of the cool features:

  • Rotating cube “desktop” to change between virtual desktops
  • Applications can “wrap” around the “corners” of the virtual desktops
  • Windows wobble seamlessly and naturally
  • Windows “stick” to each other and stretch as you pull them away
  • Transparency works amazingly (Quake running at varying level of opacity, videos on videos).
  • A lot of extra cool stuff

Sure, you could argue that a lot of this is just eye candy and doesn’t add anything to the usability but, then again, maybe it does. I haven’t used it but sure would like to try.

Here is a video demonstrating XGL in action. A word of warning, it’s 54MB but well worth it.

- JD

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