Bug 271681

Version:           unspecified (using KDE 4.6.2) 
OS:                Linux

It would be nice if under the settings for the blur effect there was an option to select either "gaussian" or "mipmap" filers.

As of now the blur looks like it's gaussian, but from my experience with compiz, this kind of blur is much more intensive than another filter called "mipmap". (I think windows aero uses mipmap too, from the look of it. Yeah, I know it's windows, and it's bad and all that ;) I'm just saying that it looks like it's used there too)

Sure, the Gaussian blur looks much nicer and more natural than mipmap, but it is important to have an option that still looks nice, yet is not such a cpu hog.

You can try on compiz and see for yourself what the difference is between the two filters, both in terms of look and feel and in terms of resource use. I haven't benchmarked it yet, but it is a difference big enough to be "felt" within seconds. Of course more accurate testing is welcome.

Blur is causing many problems at the moment in terms of performance (understandably since it's so new in kwin), so a new, less cpu-intensive filter for the same effect, could really make a difference.  

Thanks



Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
open the effects settings window
select blur
open the blur settings


Actual Results:  
only blur intensity is displayed

Expected Results:  
type of fliter, as well as blur intensity should be displayed. Some sort of quick help (like popup on mouse hover) should briefly tell the user what the difference is between the various filters, to avoid confusion.