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In Compiz the closest option is the Grid plugin (screenshot), which in turn was inspired on WinSplit Revolution. The current ideas for future features in Compiz would bring on par with Win7 behaviour and even better, like:

• Make the grid size reconfigurable instead of the fixed 33%,50%,66% sizes (ie. Maybe an even better option is to retain the 2x3 grid, but allow the user to specify how big the grid blocks are.)
• Perhaps assign a layout per workspace or hotkey to switch between grid sizes
• In addition to the horizontal 1/2 and 2/3 cycle, it would be great to have a vertical 1/3 and 2/3 cycle. -- Unfortunately that gives a cycle of length 9 when combined with the horizontal cycle. Unless you can think of better shortcut keys.
• Have a way to "group" 2 (or more?) windows (and horizontally organize this group). Concrete example : i like to have 66% of my screen occupied by Firefox and then 33% split in 2 for skype+pidgin contact lists (all of these windows full height).
• Sticky windows - adjacent windows to the one being tiled get resized along with the current one. We would need some way to toggle stickyness to allow a 2x1 layout to be changed into a 3x1
• Original Size (KP5 cycle). Sometimes when you open an application, it has a "typical" size to match the look and feel of the app. For certain circumstances, one might want to use grid to tile it for a brief period of time. It would be useful if grid could remember all windows "start size & position". Makes sense to be a toggle of the KP5 cycle.
• Laptop Keyboard without numberblock - I use grid on my laptop without a numberblock (and I can only assume that KP means numberblock). I overwrote the shortcuts simulating a numberblock with the letter K in the middle. Any chance you could make an alternativ and intuitive default for laptop-keyboards?

There's already the Zoom plugin. I would imagine that someone should be able to modify it to perform a similar operation.

Lighter, faster GNOME Shell?

I guess the Mac-wannabe syndrome of Ubuntu is extending into copying Steve Job's reality distortion field.

While Ubuntu with Gnome 2.x running with the compositing window manager compiz takes negligible CPU time, Gnome Shell running with the integrated mutter compositing window manager takes 50% CPU doing nothing!

A winnar iz u!

Replying to self... Sorry, realised he wants virtual desktops seperatly using Xineorama/Twinview. iirc Enlightenment WM does keep each screen seperate, including alt+tab, and does to virtual desktops the way he wants.

Oh, or install Compiz, and try:

"Desktop" area --> Desktop Cube --> "General" Tab and untick "One Big Cube" in "Multi Output Mode".

(afraid I can't test it myself easily)

My dragged windows don't tear. They wobble.

Base window manager is irrelevant. Users don't care whether it's KDE or Gnome. Behold the Cube! Behold the wobbly windows. Behold the 3D tiling! Behold I say!

Show potential Linux users a demo of that floating cube, and you will ship millions of Linux boxes. I have observed this effect, first hand. If you've got a business selling Linux boxes and you don't have such a demo set up in shop, you are wasting your time. You think OSX got where it is because of its Kernel features?

Innovation is messy... you invent a design idea and hope the masses like it. Sometimes the innovation is great and everyone loves it. Sometimes the innovation is awesome but it's not released soon enough so it never takes off and is eclipsed by a different technology. Sometimes the innovation is released too early and everyone hates it.

You don't want innovation from Microsoft. What you really want is a Windows 7 that is enough like XP that you know how to use it and most of your existing application still work, but includes the few features you've come to enjoy on Mac/Linux/BSD/etc. Please stop using the "innovation" buzzword.

No, but a simple hyperlink on Compiz to the project page or Wikipedia entry would have taken up exactly -0- more characters (articles don't include the server text that comments do) to the displayed text and saved a dozen or so key/mouseclicks involved in looking up up said word. Hyperlinking is the foundation on which the web was built, it's depressing how lost that technique has become.

No, but a simple hyperlink on Compiz to the project page or Wikipedia entry would have taken up exactly -0- more characters (articles don't include the server text that comments do) to the displayed text and saved a dozen or so key/mouseclicks involved in looking up up said word. Hyperlinking is the foundation on which the web was built, it's depressing how lost that technique has become.

Not just gamers are interested in a good video driver. 100% of recent OS/X and Vista users require a 3D desktop. With compiz and beryl, Linux users have access to the same basic functionality. This is actually useful, as in OS/X exposé.

Wobbly Windows(TM) and other useful features...
http://compiz.org/
http://beryl-project.org/