Conky setups - samples / ideas?

Question

Is anyone using Conky on Linux for desktop statistics displays? I have a simple script mostly adapted from samples, but I'm interested in seeing more complex setups - particularly with weather forcasts / e-mail updates / etc.

# Create own window instead of using desktop (required in nautilus)
own_window yes
own_window_type override
own_window_transparent yes
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager

# Use double buffering (reduces flicker, may not work for everyone)
double_buffer yes

# fiddle with window
use_spacer right

# Use Xft?
use_xft yes
xftfont DejaVu Sans:size=8
xftalpha 0.8
text_buffer_size 2048

# Update interval in seconds
update_interval 3.0

# Minimum size of text area
# minimum_size 250 5

# Draw shades?
draw_shades no

# Text stuff
draw_outline no # amplifies text if yes
draw_borders no
uppercase no # set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase

# Stippled borders?
stippled_borders 3

# border margins
border_margin 9

# border width
border_width 10

# Default colors and also border colors, grey90 == #e5e5e5
default_color grey

own_window_colour brown
own_window_transparent yes

# Text alignment, other possible values are commented
#alignment top_left
alignment top_right
#alignment bottom_left
#alignment bottom_right

# Gap between borders of screen and text
gap_x 10
gap_y 15

# stuff after 'TEXT' will be formatted on screen

TEXT
$color
${color orange}SYSTEM ${hr 2}$color
$nodename $sysname $kernel on $machine

${color orange}CPU ${hr 2}$color
${freq}MHz   Load: ${loadavg}   Temp: ${acpitemp}
$cpubar
${cpugraph 000000 ffffff}
NAME                       PID       CPU%      MEM%
${top name 1}           ${top pid 1}   ${top cpu 1}    ${top mem 1}
${top name 2}           ${top pid 2}   ${top cpu 2}    ${top mem 2}
${top name 3}           ${top pid 3}   ${top cpu 3}    ${top mem 3}
${top name 4}           ${top pid 4}   ${top cpu 4}    ${top mem 4}

${color orange}MEMORY / DISK ${hr 2}$color
RAM:   $memperc%   ${membar 6}$color
Swap:  $swapperc%   ${swapbar 6}$color
Root:  ${fs_free_perc /}%   ${fs_bar 6 /}$color 

${color orange}NETWORK (${addr wlan0}) ${hr 2}$color
Down: $color${downspeed wlan0} k/s ${alignr}Up: ${upspeed wlan0} k/s
${downspeedgraph wlan0 25,140 000000 000000} ${alignr}${upspeedgraph wlan0 
25,140 000000 000000}$color
Total: ${totaldown wlan0} ${alignr}Total: ${totalup wlan0}

${color orange}INSTANT MESSAGING ${hr 2}$color

The last line is a header for a Pidgin screenlet with a minimal, transparent theme to display my contacts inline with the rest of the stats.

Answer 1

These three links are good resources for working scripts :

• http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Conky+scripts?content=52896
• http://conky.linux-hardcore.com/
• http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?s=938eb1fff3ec85e6c598f72e3e0c5701&t=281865

Answer 2

I have an old AT modem that understands caller ID connected to my computer, so it keeps a log of incoming calls, and will match them to numbers in my address book. I have conky set to show the last few entries from the log.

(An incoming call also triggers a script that displays the call details on the screen using osd_cat, and pause the music player too.)

Other than that, just the usual weather forecast and system info summary.