Cool 3D Desktop Effects in Ubuntu

Yesterday, I spent some time playing with my newly installed Ubuntu machine. It is running Hardy Heron, 8.04. I read somewhere on the web that it includes a lot of cool 3D features. I have seen some of the effects before but I never thought it will be included in Ubuntu distro. Some of the effects I like the most are the transparent window, wobbly window, animation and 3D Cube. It's amazing to see that the videos are still playing smoothly while the effects are in action.

Workspaces in 3D Cube

Transparent Windows

I will share the instruction on how to enable it.

1. Goto System > Preferences > Appearance
   
   


2. Click the Visual Effects tab and select Extra. You could now see wobbly window when you trying to move any active windows. We will go beyond these effects by installing additional components.
   
   
   
3. Goto Applications > Add/Remove. Choose All on the left frame select "All available applications" from Show combo box. Then type "csm" on the search box. Check "Advanded Desktop Effects Setting" and click "Apply Changes" button to install this new module.
   
   
   


4. Now the module has been installed, goto System > Preferences > Advanced Desktop Effect Settings. The control panel will show up and have fun with all the cool 3D effects.
   
   

I did encounter one minor problem when trying to enable extra visual effects under the appearance window. I am using Dell Inspiron 6400 with ATI X1400 graphics card. The pop up window with message "Desktop effects could not be enabled" showed up when trying to enable extra visual effects.

After doing some Google search, I found that my Ubuntu was not using the proprietary ATI drivers; hence, the 3D effects could not be used. To make Ubuntu use the ATI driver, goto System > Administration > Hardware Drivers, then enable the driver. After doing this, I could enable Extras visual effects with no problems.


That's it for now. Hope the instruction will help.

Hotpot Party at Pak Stef's House

We just had a hotpot party last weekend, it is part of our IEC Ichtus Youth Fellowship Event (i.e. acara Komisi Pemuda GII). Liong and Jimmy are the main chef for this hotpot party; they are also helped by Mega, Jessica, Pak Pancha dan Ibu Sumanti. Here are some pics I took during the event.

Liong with the creation, Jimmy is hiding

Mega is helping out

Jessica is helping out too

The ingredients

The utensils

The spices

Meat Eater and the Crew

Lagi pada "ngamuk" ngambil makanan

Group Picture (gaya dharma wanita)

Group picture, Olivia kept pressing the camera remote (ada aja yg masih terus berpose :))

It is fun event. Thanks to Ichtus group for organizing it.

Our Church Youth Choir

Minggu, paduan suara pemuda dan remaja GII, mempersembahkan sebuah pujian berjudul, "Jadilah Saksi Karna NamaNya". It's pretty good song. They were not in their full team, because some members were on their summer vacation. Following are some of the photos I took.

GII Youth Choir

GII Youth Choir

Dan lirik lagunya sbb:

Dengan kaki, berjalan yang benar
Dengan tangan, gunakan yang benar
Mata, telinga, semua puji Tuhan

Dengan mulut, berkatalah jujur
Dengan hati, berbuatlah benar
Jadikan tubuhmu muliakan Tuhan

Hari-hari banyaklah cobaan
Hadapilah dengan kuat iman
Jaga diri, jangan sampai kau tersesat

Ada kuasa di dalam darah-Nya
Jangan ragu, hadapilah dunia
Jadilah saksi kar'na nama-Nya

Piknik Jemaat GII 2008

Setiap tahun, GII mengadakan piknik jemaat. Di piknik ini, semua jemaat berkumpul untuk bersekutu, makan, dan main.

Tahun ini, piknik jemaat diadakan di Belcarra Bay di ujung Coquitlam. And thanks to Indonesia's tradition of gummy clock (jam karet), koordinator Ario memutuskan untuk mengumumkan kalo waktu kumpul itu jam 10 (acara mulai jam 11). Good decision.

Cik Effie, Jocelyn, and Olivia -- lagi taking care of Jocelyn

Justin and Jocelyn lagi melihat hasil foto yang diambil sebelumnya

Justin, Jocelyn, dan Olivia -- lagi mainan kamera

Karen dan Audrey -- berusaha duduk di kursi kayu terus

Jocelyn lagi pose cute (what'cha looking at?)

The boys

Yuli, Audrey, dan Olivia bersama dengan murid murid Sekolah Minggu

Tante-tante lagi duduk-duduk menunggu mulainya persekutuan

Sekitar jam 11, persekutuan pun dimulai. Puji-pujian dipimpin oleh cik Vivi. Banyak lagu canon yang dipilih, jadi dalam waktu singkat nyanyian pun berubah menjadi ajang tanding teriak.. Sunday School kids versus Pemuda.

Cik Vivi memimpin puji-pujian, diiringi oleh Liong dan Cik Sofi on guitar

Inilah suasana persekutuan -- kasihan yah.. yang MC dicuekin..

James and Peter

With Christ in the vessel ...

Puji-pujian dilanjutkan dengan renungan singkat oleh Pak Stef. Memakai mega phone, of course.

Pak Stef sedang menyampaikan renungan di samping danau

Sambil menunggu lunch yang sedang disiapkan oleh tim Tante Eva dkk, kita pun bermain permainan People to People, courtesy of Jessica.

Salah satu kembar dan bapaknya menjadi partner awal saat bermain People to People

Hand to hand... check!
What's next? What's next?

Hey.. you are supposed to join in People to People, where are you going?

Setelah itu, acara yang dinanti-nantikan pun mulai: LUNCH!

Tapi berhubung beberapa pemuda kita sangat considerate terhadap orang (yang lebih) tua dan anak-anak, maka mereka pun mengalah antrian. Sebagai gantinya, untuk melupakan rasa lapar sementara, mereka sibuk mengagumi keindahan alam sambil berpose untuk difoto. Orang-orang yang sangat considerate itu ada dalam foto-foto berikut ini...

Olivia, Jason, Sylvi, Yuli, Jimmy (dan Chris, our photographer)

Reach for the star.. Ouch, Jason, you step on me!

Let's try it once more.. JUMP!

Out of my way!

Jumping Buddha!

After lunch, saatnya bermain game. Ada game buat anak Sunday School, dan ada game juga buat orang dewasa. Tapi game paling seru yang membuat tua-muda cewek-cowok melupakan kantuk mereka (akibat kekenyangan) adalah.... ... Tarik Tambang! (Of course... kita kan orang Indo asli ^_^)

Pemuda, melawan...

Bapak-Bapak (wow... and this group was winning!)
Pak Stef terlihat tertidur di rumput di samping kiri gambar ini

Hoooiii... kalo tertawa terus, mana ada tenaga, Bung?

Next game was reserved for kids only (unfortunately.. it looked really fun!). Balap Karung!! (Ahhh.. jadi teringat masa kecil saya yang bahagia sekali.. setiap hari Paskah pasti ada lomba antar kelas di Sekolah Minggu, dan Balap Karung termasuk salah satu yang paling seru!).

"I have to run in THIS?!?!"

You can jump, but I can jump higher!

Oops... I dropped my pants.. I mean my karung.. oh no!

Jump with the wind..

Saya tidak ingat siapa saja yang menang. Cuma mengingat kalo semuanya tertawa bahagia pada akhirnya. Oh well, that's the important thing, right?

Berikut ini adalah random pictures selama Piknik.

Nathan - trying to pull himself up by grabbing the top of his head

Chanaldy - belajar surfing di atas tali buat Tarik Tambang

Jessica, Karen, and Audrey - lagi menyanyikan lagu-lagu cinta untuk menghibur pemirsa setia

Cik Deiby sekeluarga - menatap masa depan yang cerah dan penuh harapan

Olivia, Melvin, dan Yuli - bubbles are beautiful

Melvin - wow.. it's magic!

Olive dan Sylvi -- this is fun

Audrey - hey, is that a corn chips?

Olive - okay, let's fold our hands and make a wish...

Andrew and Jason -- Psssttt.. let me whisper you a secret...

Segitulah laporan picnic jemaat GII tahun ini.