When I'm reading ebooks, I find it quite useful to blank out everything except the reader. On the Mac, I use Backdrop to achieve this. What this app does is blank out everything (wallpaper, desktop icons, etc) apart from any on-screen windows. Is there a program that does this for Ubuntu?
2 Answers
Dimming non-active Windows with Compiz
In case we run Compiz (by enabling Visual Effects in System->Preferences->Appearance) we have a nice feature that lets you dim anything but the active windows to any desired value.
With the following packages installed (default from >= 11.04):
compizconfig-settings-manager
compiz-fusion-plugins-extra
you will have access to control Compiz settings by running System -> Preferences -> CompizConfig Settings Manager.
Choose Accessibility: ADD Helper
Open Tab "Misc.Options:
and push the slider for brightness to the desired value (here depicted for 20).
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Thanks for that, but I appear to be missing this plugin. Is it perhaps new in 10.10? I'm running 10.04. Apr 14, 2011 at 23:23
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Never mind, I just had to install
compiz-fusion-plugins-extra
. Apr 14, 2011 at 23:28 -
Check out the ADD Helper Compiz plugin. Install compizconfig-settings-manager
package to access the controls for it.