Vista had introduced a 3D desktop environment called Aero last year just a flip of windows…
You need newer gfx card with shader model 2 and a video memory of 128mb for that stuff to work..

But long ago before vista was in scene Linux had started the 3d Desktop interface with the XGL stuff which doesn’t have big hardware requirments.
Beryl and compiz where the most popular 3d desktop effects on linux….
latter Beryl and compiz merged together to compiz-fuzion(CF) which is now shipped with most of the linux distros….
basically the CF works a graphics card above geforce 3….
and ati cards… onboard graphics where not supported till a year ago till the launch of intel X3000 gfx…
here i will explain the basic installation of CF on ubuntu7.10 with an nvidia card…
the distro is shipped with the base system of CF

1. install the nvidia kerenel sources.
apt-get install nvidia-new-kernel-source

2. install the nvidia driver.
apt-get install nvidia-glx-new

3. restart the system
4.go to System>Preferences>Appearance>Visual effect and then enable the compiz effect…..

but when you need custom effects you will need to install the compiz fusion manager.. and the settings via the manager..

emerlad themes can also be install for custom themes.

the CF has many features like the wobbly windows, fire, and lot of animations…

On intel boards with new onboard graphics the above stuff will work…
install the drivers of the driver cd.
a linux quick starter kit is provided on the intel cds at \linuxiso on the media.
and do the rest from the step 3

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