Valade_06.qxd 3/31/05 2:58 PM Page 73 CHAPTER 6 Using Your Desktop inux provides two basic types of interface for you to use when working with your computer: GUI (graphical user interface) and CLI (command-line interface). An L overview of the interface types is provided in Chapter 5. In this chapter, the most common type of interface, a GUI called a desktop, is discussed in detail. The CLI is dis- cussed in detail in Chapter 7. Linux can start without a desktop, but most users prefer to have Linux start with a desk- top. The installation instructions provided in Chapter 4 result in a desktop opening at startup. A desktop interface functions as the top of your desk, supplying an empty work- ing surface and a set of tools. Different distributions provide different desktops, but most provide KDE (K Desktop Environment) and/or GNOME (Gnu Network Object Model Environment)—the Big Two of Linux desktops. The default desktop differs by distribution. For instance, Fedora defaults to GNOME, and Mandrake/SuSE defaults to KDE. However, you can change the default once you decide which desktop you prefer. KDE and GNOME are open source software, each developed in a project of its own. New versions are released independently of Linux releases or the release of any specific Linux distribution. As a result, different distributions include different KDE and/or GNOME versions. In addition, KDE and GNOME are very configurable. Almost everything about them can be changed. Consequently, KDE and GNOME don’t look exactly the same in different distributions or versions of distributions. When using this book, remember that your KDE or GNOME may not look exactly like the book. Most of the figures in the book are Fedora Core 2 (KDE 3.2/GNOME 2.6) or Mandrake 10 (KDE 3.2/GNOME 2.4). Your version may be older or newer. Because your KDE and GNOME may not always look and behave exactly as shown in the book, it’s best to consider the instructions in this chapter as suggestions, rather than an exact map. It provides clues to the most likely places to find configuration tools, but not necessarily a detailed route. This chapter describes the contents of your desktop and how to use them. Then, when you are comfortable with the default appearance and behavior of your Linux, you find out how to change everything. Using Your Desktop 73 Valade_06.qxd 3/31/05 2:58 PM Page 74 Logging In To access your desktop, you must log in using a Linux account. When you power on your computer, the process goes as follows: 1. The computer boots up. 2. The computer prompts you to log in. 3. You log in to an account, typing your password. 4. The desktop displays. After the computer boots (Step 1), you see a login screen. The login screens for Fedora Core, Mandrake, and SuSE are shown in Figure 6-1. FIGURE 6-1 Login screens. 74 Using Your Desktop > Logging In Valade_06.qxd 3/31/05 2:58 PM Page 75 Notice that Mandrake and SuSE give you a choice of accounts. In this case, only one account (janet) is available. If more accounts were installed, they would also be on the login screen. Accounts are discussed in Chapter 8. Select an account by clicking it. In SuSE, the account name appears in the Login field. Type the password in the Password field and click Go! to log in. In Mandrake, a second screen appears, as shown in Figure 6-2. FIGURE 6-2 Second login screen for Mandrake. Type in the password and click Login to log in. Fedora requires you to type the name of the account. When you type the account name and press <Enter>, the username field changes to the password field, asking for the pass- word. Type the password and press <Enter> to login in. Many Linux distributions allow you to select which desktop to use when you log in. Of course, you can only select among the desktops that you installed. KDE and GNOME are discussed in this book, but other desktops are available and were possibly installed by default during installation. For instance, notice in Figure 6-2 that the Mandrake login screen has a button to select Session type. If you click the button, a drop-down list appears, shown on the right. The default desktop is KDE, but you can change it. GNOME is shown in the list because it was specifically added during the installation, as shown in Chapter 4. Failsafe starts Linux without a desktop, just with the CLI, discussed in Chapter 7. Notice that all three login screens in Figure 6-1 provide a button (Shutdown, Halt) that allows you to stop the login if you want. Using Your Desktop > Logging In 75 Valade_06.qxd 3/31/05 2:58 PM Page 76 Your First Login The first time you log in to your system after installation, Linux may require some post- installation setup. For example, Fedora creates a user account when you first log in to your new system. Mandrake and SuSE create user accounts during installation, but Fedora only creates a root account, waiting until now to create a user account. The first time you log in to Mandrake, it runs a procedure called Mandrakefirsttime Wizard. The first screen introduces the wizard, stating that it will help you: • Configure the basic setup of your desktop in a very few steps. • Register your product in order to easily open a Mandrakeclub account and to benefit rapidly from all its products and services. The next screen in the wizard displays a Choose Desktop button. When you click it, a list of possible desktops drops down. KDE is the default, but you can select another. After you select a desktop, a screen allows you to select one of several themes. A theme is a unified set of colors and images that integrate all parts of the desktop into a single look and feel, including the window borders, fonts, icons, etc. A demo screen shows the appearance of the default Galaxy 2 theme. If you check a different theme, the appearance of the demo screen will change, showing the new theme. When the demo shows the appearance you like best, click Next. The Mandrakefirsttime Wizard also helps you set up and configure a Mandrakeclub account. Mandrakeclub offers software downloads, forums, special discounts, and other benefits for a small monthly fee. The first month is free so you can try it out. When the wizard finishes, the desktop displays with a welcoming message. Click Close to close the welcome message without closing the desktop. Uncheck “Open this window on startup” at the bottom of the welcome message when you no longer want to see this screen every time your computer starts. During your first login, SuSE also displays a welcome message with links to the SuSE home page. 76 Using Your Desktop > Your First Login Valade_06.qxd 3/31/05 2:58 PM Page 77 Anatomy of a Desktop Most desktops have common basic components, as shown in Figure 6-3. This desktop should look fairly familiar to Windows users. Icons Desktop Workspace Panel FIGURE 6-3 Desktop. The desktop workspace contains icons, in this case two icons, that perform actions when clicked, just as Windows desktop icons do. You can customize the desktop—adding, removing, and rearranging icons. Handling icons is discussed later in this chapter. The panel (also sometimes called kicker) is the bar across the bottom of your desktop. The panel can be moved to the left, right, or top. You can have more than one panel. In Figure 6-3, the left side of the panel contains several icons. You can customize these icons—adding and removing them from the panel. To the right of the icons is a four-but- ton pager—buttons that you can click to open alternative virtual desktops, explained later in this chapter. To the right of the pager is a section, called the taskbar, where application buttons appear when an application is running. To the right of the taskbar are icons for useful system tools. A clock displays on the far right of the panel. You can reorganize the panel—adding, removing, moving the objects on it. Using Your Desktop > Anatomy of a Desktop 77 Valade_06.qxd 3/31/05 2:58 PM Page 78 KDE and GNOME Desktops The two most popular desktops, KDE and GNOME, are discussed in this book. KDE and GNOME look very similar. Figure 6-4 shows the KDE and GNOME desktops provided by Fedora. FIGURE 6-4 KDE and GNOME desktops for Fedora. KDE and GNOME for Fedora are very similar. Both have “trash” and “home” icons, but GNOME has two additional icons. The panel has the same icons. One reason both look so similar is that both desktops are very customizable. Thus, the Fedora desktops are both configured in a manner deemed useful by the Fedora developers. Desktops configured for different distributions can be customized differently, but still are very similar. KDE desk- tops distributed with Fedora and Mandrake are shown in Figure 6-5. FIGURE 6-5 KDE desktops for Fedora and Mandrake. The two KDE desktops have different icons, with Mandrake providing several more. The panel is different. For instance, the leftmost panel icon for Fedora is a red fedora. Yet, the basic anatomy is the same. 78 Using Your Desktop > KDE and GNOME Desktops Valade_06.qxd 3/31/05 2:58 PM Page 79 The Panel The panels for the desktops are shown in Figure 6-6.