KWin is the window manger for the Xwindow System. It is part of the KDE (K Desktop Environment) since the 2.0 version (when it replaced the former KWM) but it can also be used with other desktop environments. Once with the release of KDE 4, scheduled for October 23, 2007, KWin is said to come with many new enthralling features and improvements. For example, beside the impressive graphical upgrade, KWin would also bring composite and GL support.

If GL is not available, then KWin would be able to deactivate by itself the GL effects, but it still allows the Composite effects via XRender. If XRender were not available either, then it would act as the current version for KDE 3. The KDE team announced that they've been working on a new plug-in selection interface, which should be able to do the dependencies checking automatically. The new version also announces many new amazing effects. You can check out Lubos Lunak's (one of the men in charge of the effects) YouTube User Page where you'll find some videos with some of them.

You'll find both eye-candy and useful effects, but also some accessibility-related features, which I am sure everyone would find useful. The former window decoration was called kwin3_crystal and it was nothing more than a port of the KDE 3 Crystal window decorations, but the forthcoming version will feature a completely new window decoration, which is currently still in development. Most of the former KWin's internal structures have been rewritten in order to support new exquisite effects powered by GL.

According to the KDE development team, the new KWin will manage to ensure a graphical boost for KDE and with its numerous additions will satisfy the eye-candy addicted users, too.