HowTo: The easy way to install Ubuntu and Beryl Window Effects
I am in love with my new Ubuntu system thanks to Beryl and a few other great open source applications. In this quick HowTo guide I am going to show you how to get Beryl up and running on Ubuntu Linux without disturbing your Windows installation. A portion of this guide is borrowed from install.exe/Prototype article How to install Ubuntu without disturbing Windows. The article is already out there so no need in rewriting it. If you have already installed Ubuntu using this method you can skip over step one. I have not tested this on Kbuntu, and for the record I am running Linux ubuntu 2.6.20-12-generic with Feisty. Now onto the good stuff goto wiki.ubuntu.com and follow there manual, bookmark this page so you can quickly come back to it once you have your Ubuntu installation up and running. You probably won’t need the installtion guide at all because the installation is very intuitive but if you feel the need you can still give it a read.
Step 1.) Install Ubuntu using the Prototype installer.
Step 2.)Launch your Ubuntu installation and run a terminal window Application > Accessories > Terminal (The applications menu is located in the upper right hand corner of your Ubuntu desktop) now the terminal opens up and you now have a bash prompt in front of you. First we need to install Beryl-Core so we do the following commands.
sudo apt-get install beryl-core
Step 3.) Now you have the Beryl Core installed onto the next step. In the same terminal window or a new one (optional) type the following command.
sudo apt-get install beryl-manager
Step 4.) You now have Beryl-Manager installed on your machine and are ready to start using the cool effects. You can access Beryl-Manager from a terminal by typing the following command.
beryl-manager
You can additionally goto Applications > System Tools > Beryl Manager and select Beryl Settings Manager. This is the configuration of your super cool new desktop system Beryl. The rest of the process is a matter of personal preference. You can setup Beryl Effects anyway you please. You can speed up your system by turning off some effects such as blur, wobbly windows, and even 3D cube. There is really no major hardware required to do this. I didn’t have any trouble installing Beryl and am running a mere p4 HT 3ghz with 1.2 GB Ram and an onboard Intel GMA 900 video card. Not too shabby considering Windows Vista won’t even do the Aero Glass Theme without atleast a 3D accelerated card. Another reason why Linux is awesome.