That retro Compiz-inspired fire effect we spotlighted a few weeks back? It’s had a ton of updates since then and they demand a follow up post!
So here it is — but let me stress: these window effects are for fun. No-one is claiming that flame-quitting your desktop apps is some kind of life hack. But if you’ve got a device that can handle these graphical excesses, and they make you smile, why not, right? Have at it!
And there’s a lot of “it” to have at. The latest update to the “Burn My Windows” GNOME extension adds a ripping new window closing effect: “T-Rex Attack”. This does exactly what you imagine it does:
Totally superfluous, but terribly clawsome, right?
You can configure the t-rex attack animation using the extension’s settings panel. You can tweak the claw scratch scale and count, adjust the warp effect’s warp-iness, and change the color of the ‘flash’ you can see as the animation dissolves away.
Window shredding isn’t the only new ‘shader’ added to this add-on since we last wrote about it.
Another new window closing effect is the “TV” option. This replicates the effect of turning off an old CRT TV which …Honestly, I can’t describe in words without it sounding like a bad poem. So here’s a GIF to show you it in action:
I’m old enough to remember when TVs did this. It’s a shame visual effects don’t come with matching sound effects. This one would need a Zwuzzz static crackly noise for super accurate CRT-vibes.
Finally, you’ll also find a Matrix-inspired shader included. This “dissolves your windows in a shower of green letters”. Like all of the effects available with this extension you can tweak the Matrix shader by altering scale, randomness, and even colour (though c’mon, the green is kinda iconic?):
I should point out that the T-Rex Attack and Matrix effects do require GNOME 40 or later. If you use Ubuntu 20.04 LTS you can install the the Burn My Windows extension but (for now) only the Fire and TV off effects are supported.
Other than that, that’s it! More ridiculous window closing effects to wow your colleagues and family with. Go try ’em out. The latest version of extension is already available from the GNOME Extensions website.