What is Compiz

Compiz Fusion is the result of the re-unification of the Beryl-project and the community around the Compiz Window Manager. It seeks to provide an easy and fun-to-use windowing environment, allowing use of the graphics hardware to provide impressive effects, amazing speed and usefulness.




First you have to enable your graphic card to run 3D effects, go to System > Administration > Hardware Drivers. Type in your password (if it ask you for it) The Hardware Drivers tool should show your graphic card, check the box. A little window should pop up you just hit enable. Now it should start downloading and installing the driver for your video card.
If you get an error message saying "Desktop effects could not be enabled" look here

Next close the Change Applied box. After you closed the windows it will ask you to restart the computer do it.

restart

You should see something like this in the top bar after rebooting

and then another window like this one will let you know that proprietary drivers are being use to make this computer work properly

if you got the drivers install now you're ready to use compiz.

Compiz Fusion is install by default in Ubuntu all you need is compiz config-settings-manager.
Type this in a terminal:

 sudo apt-get install compiz config-settings-manager  

or open Synaptic Package Manager. Go to System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager, on the search box type

compiz config-settings-manager

If you get this error Couldn't find package compizconfig-settings manager
Open up System->Administration->Software Sources and make sure "Community-maintained Open Source software (universe)" is selected

Click on the boxes and select Mark for installation the packages will have dependencies so accept the dependencies by clicking Mark button. Now click the Apply button. The packages should be downloaded and installed. After the packages are installed close the Synaptic Package Manager and go to System>preferences>Appearance>Visual Effects and hit (Normal or Extra) to activate the "Effects" also you need to make sure you have selected 4 workspaces at the bottom right of your desktop if you haven't click on it select preferences and select 4 columns 1 row.

How to get the "Cube"
next go to System > Preferences > Advanced Desktop Effects Settings or it may also say "Compiz Configuration manager"
under Desktop tab you should see "rotate cube" and "desktop cube", activate both and follow the prompts to disable the desktop wall, the default key to rotate the Cube is Ctrl+Alt+<Arrow Left> or Ctrl+Alt+<Arrow Right>


COMPIZ SETTINGS MANAGER

Use Compiz Settings Manager to customize Compiz. Go to System > Preferences > Advanced Desktop Effects Settings/Compiz Settings Manager

Click on the different plugins to reveal more settings I suggest starting with the (Desktop cube and Animation plugins).
guide on "how to use some of the plugins in Compiz Settings Manager"HERE

To have your desktop rotate as a Cylinder/Sphere just do the following:

Upgrade to the latest version of Compiz, to do so add the repository to your sources.list
In terminal type:

gksu gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Add the this line to the end save and close the file:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/compiz/ubuntu hardy main

next type this commands to update:

sudo apt-get update 

 sudo apt-get upgrade

Restart your X (By pressing Ctrl + Alt + backspace)
log back in and go to System >Preferences > Compiz Manager, scroll to "Effects" section until you see "Cube reflection and deformation"



Compiz Extra Plugins
How to install extra plugins for compiz fusion:plugin guide or even better just click this link it should automatically install.

Also install "Fusion Icon" which is a tray icon that let you manage compiz fusion and windows decorators like "Metacity or "Emerald".
just go to "Synaptic Package Manager" and search for and install "Fusion Icon"

after you installed it you can find it under Applications > System tools > Fusion Icon

once you launch it you'll see the icon on the top right of your screen

COMPIZ SHORTCUTS

ALT+SCROLL WHEEL ON THE MOUSE= transparent screen
CTRL+ALT+DRAG LEFT MOUSE = rotate cube
CTRL+ALT+LEFT ARROW = rotate cube
CTRL+ALT+DOWN ARROW = flat desktop
SUPER+SHIFT+DRAG LEFT MOUSE = draw fire
SUPER+SHIFT+C = clear fire
CTRL+ALT+DOWN = unfold cube
ALT+TAB = window switch
SUPER+TAB = flip switcher or ring switcher
SHIFT+F9 = water effect
ALT+F7 = initiate move windows
SHIFT+F10 = slow animations

CTRL+ALT+D = show desktop
SUPER+S = select single window
SUPER+T = tab group
SUPER+Left = change left tab
SUPER+Right = change right tab
SUPER+G = group windows
SUPER+R = remove group window
SUPER+C = close group
SUPER+X = ignore group
SUPER button (Windows key)