Ubuntu

gap@devBox:~$ uname -a
Linux devBox 2.6.31-17-generic #54-Ubuntu SMP Thu Dec 10 17:01:44 UTC 2009 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Crazy little FP. Wont work for me on linux. Some infos:

gap@devBox:~$ lsusb | grep Fing
Bus 006 Device 002: ID 138a:0001 DigitalPersona, Inc Fingeprint Reader

Watch here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/285089

Things that are always on my System.

Its a quake-style console that can be toggled, by pressing one key (binded to F1 in my setup). Supports multiple Tabs.
Check this Website for Infos: Click Me
Check this image for a Screenshot: Guake Screenshot

sudo apt-get install guake
guake

Then hit F12

Gnome do is a really nice app that let you do thing much faster! Like VIM i like this app because it lets me do anything from the keyboard. No need to use the (time wasting) mouse. Example: I'm writing some kind of paper with OpenOffice, and I've to search something on the Internet. If i know the website where the informations are, i hit:
”[SUPER] & [ ] fi [ENTER]”
and my Firefox will start. SUPER is the Windows Key. If i need to search something with google, lets say “dokuwiki”, i'll do a:
”[SUPER] & [ ] go [TAB] dokuwiki [ENTER]”
and something like that will be shown: Gnome-do search Screenshot With a [ENTER] the page will show up in Firefox. But how that gnome-do look like is your choice, i run it as docky application, but theres no need to do that.
For all you Linux users out there, install this tool, learn to use it (add music to player, open folders, start apps, search the net, connect to ssh machines etc.) because you will love it!
Gnome-Do (GNOME + Do = Crazy Delicious) Website

sudo apt-get install gnome-do
gnome-do

The app I show when a windoz user flames 'bout linux. There's always one question after the little demo:
“Does this works on Windoz too?
Ahm, no
Why?
Because Linux is a modern Operating System ;)”
In fact, there is a way to get the cube on Windoz, but afaik its not free.
Compiz cube with 3D windows and deformation
Switch the virtual Desktops
Show the virtual Desktops

Compiz is a fancy way to switch and show your virtual desktops. But compiz can do much more, you can see that in the desktop-console section on this page.

Its the fastest available console on my system. No button is needed to access. This, because the bash is directly over my desktop.
Look at it: Desktop Console Screenshot How to get it:
You need to create a new gnome-terminal profile for the transparent terminal. Create a new profile in Edit>Profiles>New called trans. Edit the new profile and set these options:

• General>Show menubar…: Off
• Title and Command>Initial Title: trans
• Effects>Transparent Background: On
• Effects>transparency slider>None
• Scrolling>Scrollbar is: Disabled

Open the CompizConfig Settings Manager and make these changes:

• Make sure the Regex Matching and Window Rules plugins are enabled.
• Open the Window Decoration plugin and change the Decoration windows field to !title=trans
• Open the Window Rules plugin:
  • change these fields to title=trans: Skip taskbar, Skip pager, Below, Sticky, Non resizable windows, Non minimizable windows, Non maximizable windows, Non closable windows
  • Add a new item to the Fixed Size Windows list: Sized Windows = trans, and the width and height that you want for the terminal.
• Open the Place Windows plugin and add to Windows with fixed positions list. Positioned windows = trans and set the X and Y coordinates you want the terminal at.

The transparent terminal should start with this command:

  gnome-terminal --window-with-profile=trans

Add this script to your Startup Applications, it makes sure to run the terminal command after compiz is started.

runDeskConsole.sh

#!/bin/sh
sleep 10s
gnome-terminal --window-with-profile=trans

How cool is that: grep-search-results highlighting directly in the terminal! Check it out: Highlighting Screenshot