An OpenGL-accelerated desktop with Xgl and Compiz

BEYOND EYE CANDY

Article from Issue 68/2006
Author(s):

A member of Suse’s X11 team delivers an insider’s look at Xgl.

Mac fans were ecstatic when Apple introduced the Quartz Extreme [1] graphics interface, which accelerated desktop effects using 3D hardware. Microsoft’s Windows Vista with its Aero technology looks to close this gap with the Mac. In the world of Linux, Xgl [2] now provides a comparable and even more advanced technology that supports similar effects. Xgl is an X Server by David Revemann that uses OpenGL to implement graphics output. When a program tells Xgl to draw a line, Xgl passes the vertices to the OpenGL subsystem, which then sends the matching commands to the graphics hardware. Despite this emphasis on OpenGL, Xgl also retains the protocol that existing applications use to talk to the X Server, removing the need to rewrite application programs.

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • The Future of Linux Graphics

    New technologies will change the way you view the objects on your Linux desktop.

  • AIGLX

    Red Hat’s head of X development describes the evolution of AIGLX.

  • Compiz Considered in Peril

    The Compiz project, which makes a free compositing window manager, suffers from a lack of participants, direction and leadership, at least according to developer Kristian Lyngstol.

  • Free Software Projects

    Split-ups, disputes, and flame wars repeatedly ripple through the open source community. So far, forks have benefitted the community, as illustrated by the reunion of Compiz and Beryl in the Compiz Fusion project.

  • Elive 1.9.22 Ecomorphs Compiz with Enlightenment

    In theory, Compiz effects should not work under Enlightenment. But Elive developer Thanatermesis has now morphed Compiz and Enlightenment 17 to achieve the seemingly impossible.

comments powered by Disqus
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News