I'm a big fan of Fedora and It's been my desktop of choice since version 1 - but the default desktop for me is, well, boring...

I don't want lots of wizz-bang flying features all over my desktop, but I do want it to look attractive and must be functional.

I've settled on this rather basic setup - it works for me.

Ok, first install the Rpm Fusion repository - specifically the rpmfusion-free-release-stable.noarch.rpm
and then rpmfusion-nonfree-release-stable.noarch.rpm repository configurations.

This enables all the non licence happy things like propriety display drivers, media codecs, etc

To install the required applications use [System->Administration->Add/Remove Software]

Step 1 - Your video card - hardware accelerated 3D

If you've got an nVidia or Ati card you will most likely want to install the propriety drivers - these have always worked best for me.

To find out what video card you have, from a terminal, run: lspci | grep VGA

On machines with nVidia or ati cards I install the propriety drivers as these have always worked best for me. If you have an nvidia or ati card install the correct kmod package. For nVidia, one of: kmod-nvidia, kmod-nvidia-173xx or kmod-nvidia-96xx and for Ati: kmod-catalyst

Note the different nvidia modules are for the different generations of nvidia cards - most new cards will just want the kmod-nvidia module.

Step 2 - Installing required packages

Once you have your video capable of 3D, install the following packages:

• compiz-fusion
• fusion-icon
• emerald
• emerald-themes
• cairo-dock
• avant-window-navigator
• awn-extras-applets

Then reboot to make the new video driver take effect (for 3d acceleration).

Step 3 - Starting Compiz with the Fusion Icon

Start the fusion-icon [Applications->System Tools->Compiz Fusion Icon] - this will start compiz-fusion - The Fusion Icon will give you access to all the configuration you'll need for compiz.

If compiz starts fine, then add fusion-icon to your startup programs [System->Preferences->Statup Applications] then drag and drop the app from [Applications->System Tools->Compiz Fusion Icon] into the Startup Applications window to have them start at startup. This will start compiz at login.

Step 4 - Move the top gnome panel

I keep the top gnome panel collapsed sitting in the bottom right corner of my screen (just in case I need it).

Right click on the top panel and select Properties and change the Orientation to Right and select Show hide buttons. Click close.

Step 5 - Using Cairo for our Application launcher

Start cairo-dock [Application->System Tools->GLX Dock (Cairo dock with HW 3D)] and configure it to be at the top of the screen and turn off it's task bar behaviour. Position=Top, Taskbar=None.

You can drag and drop applications from the Applications menus onto the Cairo dock to add them to the launcher.

Add GLX Dock to your startup applications.

Step 6 - Using AWN Avant Window Navigator for the taskbar

Then start [Applications->Accessories->Avant Window Navigator] and configure it to be at the bottom of the screen, and remove the applets the are already added (this we use just as a taskbar) I change the look and theme to make it look sexy...

Right click on AWN and select Preferences

Either select "Start AWN Automatically" in the AWN preferences or Add AWN to your startup applications.

Now remove the bottom taskbar... (Right click and select "Delete this Panel")

Collapse the top sidebar that was moved to the right...

Then you can use the fusion-icon to configure compiz, select the window decorator (emerald is a good one) and choose window decorations.

No Application menu icons?

If you find you have no icons showing in your Application menus follow the steps in my post here: Fedora no icons in menus - fix to show menu icons

Suggested compiz plugins

Launch the compiz configuration tool (via fusion-icon) and turn on Cube, Cube rotate and wobbly windows (and any other crazy effects you want)..

Done!