XGL linux desktop

[ndboarder]

Has anyone else seen anything about the Xgl Xserver architecture for linux? I heard about it a while back, thought I had posted on here about it b4, but a search for it didn't turn much up. At anyrate, it is an architecture laid over OpenGL, that is pretty neat in theory. I just wonder what kind of impact on system resource usage it has. If you've run linux your used to multiple workspaces, and with this they are on a 3 dimensional cube, though i believe it can have more than 4 sides. As you switch it rotates the cube. The link below to Suse's page on XGL provides a pic where a movie is wrapped aroudn the corner of 2 workspaces as the cube turns.

http://en.opensuse.org/Xgl

On the topic of Suse, Novell is actually responsible for getting this technology to life. When i researched it previously it sounded like it wasn't too long ago that doing such a thing was a pipe dream and suddenly when Novell acquired Suse they brought the idea to life.

Here's links to a few interesting google vids of Xgl in action. As you'll see it also adds other effects, such as transparent windowing and "wave" effects.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3304682858126153303&q=Xgl

Dual Monitor setup

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3085800747013767131&q=Xgl+dual+screen

On a side note, you'll notice the dual monitor is just one desktop stretched across two monitors. To the best of my knowledge Xgl doesn't truly support dual monitor yet (one cube on each monitor that is)

 

[nodle]

Ya I have seen this before. It will defiently be the future of displays. At least till a hexagonal shaped one comes out. ;-)

 

[ndboarder]

Well from what I've seen you can have more than 4 "sides" on your cube, but only one top and bottom, and the top and bottom of the cube are only images, not available workspaces. I'm hoping to test it out in my Suse environment sometime. Maybe after current work loads are off my back and winter sets in I'll find more time for such side projects.