Window managers∞ (WM) control the placement & appearance of windows. The default WM in Puppy is JWM, a very light and basic but effective WM. However there are many other window managers (& windowing systems and desktop environments) available and some offer special effects like transparency & 3D. Primary examples are:

• Beryl
• Compiz
• Compiz-Fusion
• Metisse
• Project Looking Glass
• Xfwm

To get an idea of the difference these effects can make to how to use your computer, static pictures alone won't help.

• Watch some videos. Here's a short one∞ (1 min 11 secs) showing Beryl, Metisse & Looking Glass.
• Try them out for yourself

See below for some info, links, videos etc to find out more.

Originally a fork of Compiz. Now officially re-merged into Compiz to create Compiz-Fusion. Some people still prefer Beryl.

• BerylUsage, for more info about using Beryl in Puppy.
• Beryl homepage∞
• Beryl wikipedia page∞
  

  Video

• Puppy 2.13 with Beryl 0.2.1∞ (2 mins 15 secs)
• Short video∞ (47 secs)
• Beryl demonstration video∞ (5 mins 39 secs)

Now merged with Beryl into Compiz-Fusion, but still available as Compiz Core, without Fusion additions.

• Compiz homepage∞
• wikipedia page∞
  

  Video

• Compiz on Ubuntu∞ (1 min 36 secs)

The "hot" special effects window manager, with many plug-ins to add different effects.

• PuppyNOP > Compiz-Fusion & Wobbly NOP: combines Xfce with Compiz-Fusion.
• Compiz-Fusion homepage∞
• Compiz-Fusion wikipedia page∞
  

  Video

• Wobbly Puppy NOP experimental in action∞ (2 mins 48 secs)
• Compiz-Fusion on Puppy 3.00∞ (6 mins 11 secs)

A somewhat different concept from straightforward 3D WMs like Compiz-Fusion. Apparently lighter on computer resources than the Compiz family.

• Metisse homepage∞
• Metisse wikipedia page∞
• Adding Metisse to Puppy∞
  

  Videos

• Video of Metisse on Puppy∞ by Crusty Lobster (48MB, .mov)
• Video of some of the window organization possibilities of Metisse∞ (46 secs)
• Video of creating you own UI for The GIMP∞ (6 mins, 12 secs)
• Video showing some more effects∞ (50 secs)
• More videos∞

3D desktop environment using Java3D.

• Project Looking Glass homepage∞
• Project Looking Glass wikipedia page∞
  

  Video

• Video of PLG on Linux∞ (3 mins 54 secs)

Xfwm is the default WM of the Xfce desktop environment, capable of true transparency & shadows. While not as flexible as Metisse or Compiz-Fusion, it is very stable.

• Xfwm homepage∞
• Xfce wikipedia page∞
• XfcePuppy, for more info re Xfce on Puppy
• PuppyNOP, a puplet with Xfce & Opera already built-in.
  

  Video

• Short video of Xfwm transparency effects∞ (12 secs)
• Video showing how to enable & change effects in Xfwm∞ (2 mins 46 secs)(loud music!)

See Also

• Puppy wiki page about window managers