Getting Started with Linux: Novells Guide to CompTIAs Linux Course 3060

1
Getting Started with Linux Novells Guide to
CompTIAs Linux (Course 3060)

• Section 2
• Use the Linux Desktop

2
Objectives

• Overview of the Linux Desktop
• Use the KDE Desktop Environment
• Use the GNOME Desktop Environment
• Access the Command-Line Interface from the Desktop

3
Introduction

• In Linux, the GUI is a normal application that
  you can choose whether or not to install
• You can configure most services in Linux by
  editing an ASCII text file, so you do not need a
  GUI if you want your computer to act only as a
  server
• Not installing a GUI has the following
  advantages
• Stability
• Performance
• Security

4
Overview of the Linux Desktop

• The base of any GUI on Linux is the X Window
  System (simply called X or X11)
• It allows you to control the input and output of
  several applications in different windows of a
  GUI
• Created in 1984 at MIT
• Initial goal enable graphical applications
  across a network, independent of hardware
• Graphical applications run in their own windows
• Text-based applications are carried out in a
  terminal window

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Overview of the Linux Desktop (continued)

• X11 allows graphical applications to be displayed
  on any monitor, without running the apps on the
  machines to which these monitors are connected
• The basis is the separation into a server
  component and the application itself (client
  application)
• X server controls the graphical screen manages
  input devices and transmits their actions to the
  client
• The appearance of the window and the desktop is
  the task of the window manager
• XFree86 is a free implementation of the X server
• SLES defaults to using XFree86 4.x

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Overview of the Linux Desktop (continued)
7
Overview of the Linux Desktop (continued)

• The communication between X server and X client
  uses TCP/IP
• Window managers are specialized client
  applications
• Provide control elements
• Manage virtual desktops
• Provide functionality of window frames
• X is not linked to any specific window manager
• SLES 9 has several window managers, including
  kwin (default), GNOME, and twm

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Use the KDE Desktop Environment

• One of the most frequently used graphical desktop
  environments is KDE (installed by default)
• The following explains how to use KDE on SLES 9
• How to Log In
• How to Log Out
• How to Shut Down and Reboot the Linux System
• How to Identify KDE Desktop Components
• How to Manage Icons in the KDE Environment
• How to Use the Konqueror File Manager

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How to Log In
10
How to Log In (continued)
11
How to Log In (continued)
12
How to Log Out

• At the bottom of the KDE menu, select Logout
• You can also right-click on the window background
  and select the same option from the popup menu
• A confirmation dialog box appears
• If you select Logout again, you are logged out
  and the login screen reappears, allowing you or
  another person to log in

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How to Log Out (continued)
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How to Shut Down and Reboot the Linux System

• If you are at the login screen, you can open the
  Menu menu and select from
• Session Type
• Restart X Server
• Shutdown Type (see Figure 2-6)
• Older computers have to be switched off manually
  when indicated to do so
• If you switch the machine off too soon, this
  could possibly lead to loss of data
• Always shut down your computer before you turn it
  off

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How to Shut Down and Reboot the Linux System
(continued)
root password
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How to Identify KDE Desktop Components

• After you log in, your system will by default
  start the KDE desktop environment it is composed
  of
• The Desktop
• The KDE Control Panel (Kicker)
• The KDE Menu (see Figure 2-8)
• Virtual Desktops
• By default, two virtual desktops are configured
• Increase the number of usable virtual desktops up
  to sixteen (use the KDE control center)

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How to Identify KDE Desktop Components (continued)
18
How to Identify KDE Desktop Components (continued)

• The KDE menu consists of the following three
  sections
• Most Frequently Used Applications
• All Applications
• Actions
• A submenu in the KDE menu is marked by a small
  black arrow in the right-hand corner

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How to Identify KDE Desktop Components (continued)
20
How to Manage Icons in the KDE Environment

• Three areas in your KDE environment contain
  icons
• Desktop
• Kicker
• KDE Menu

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How to Manage Icons in the KDE Environment
Desktop

• There are several ways to create a new icon on
  your desktop
• To create an icon for an application on your
  desktop, do the following
• Select the item in your KDE menu
• Hold down the left mouse button, move the mouse
  pointer to free space on your desktop, and
  release the mouse button
• In the menu that appears, select Copy Here

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How to Manage Icons in the KDE Environment Kicker

• You can add new programs to the control panel by
  right-clicking a free area of the panel and then
  selecting Add
• You can remove a program from the control panel
  by right-clicking its icon in the control panel
  and then selecting Remove program name
• You can move icons in the panel by holding down
  the middle mouse button or by choosing Move from
  the Context menu

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How to Manage Icons in the KDE Environment KDE
Menu
24
How to Use the Konqueror File Manager
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How to Use the Konqueror File Manager (continued)
26
Exercise 2-1 Explore Your KDE Desktop

• It is possible to administer SLES 9 without a
  graphical user interface
• However, sometimes a GUI is much more convenient
  than a pure text console
• The purpose of this exercise is to familiarize
  you with KDE

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Use the GNOME Desktop Environment

• Both GNOME and KDE are comfortable desktop
  environments
• Like KDE, GNOME supports drag and drop
• Numerous programs are specifically designed for
  GNOME
• To use the GNOME desktop environment, you need to
  know the following
• How to Start GNOME
• How to Navigate in GNOME
• How to Manage Icons in GNOME
• How to Use the GNOME File Manager (Nautilus)

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How to Start GNOME

• At login screen, select Session Type gt GNOME from
  the Menu drop-down list

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How to Start GNOME (continued)
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How to Navigate in GNOME

• Top panel
• Applications menu for launching applications
• Actions menu for basic actions (such as logging
  out)
• The Nautilus file manager (house icon)
• The terminal emulation window (monitor icon)
• A clock
• A speaker icon for volume
• A menu listing all open windows
• Bottom panel
• An icon to close all open windows
• A task manager
• A pager for the four virtual desktops

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How to Navigate in GNOME (continued)

• Double-clicking an icon to start a program
• Set preferences for the desktop environment by
  selecting the Start Here icon
• To quit Actions gt Log Out in the GNOME panel

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How to Navigate in GNOME (continued)
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How to Manage Icons in GNOME

• You can find icons in the following three areas
  on your desktop
• Desktop
• Panel
• Application Menu

34
How to Manage Icons in GNOME Desktop

• There are several ways to create a new icon on
  your desktop
• To create an icon for an application on your
  desktop, select the item in your Applications
  menu, drag it to a free space on your desktop,
  release the mouse button then select Copy Here

35
How to Manage Icons in GNOME Panel

• You can add new programs to the control panel by
  right-clicking a free area of the panel and then
  selecting Add to Panel
• From the submenus displayed, select the
  application you want to add
• You can remove a program from the control panel
  by right-clicking its icon in the control panel
  and then selecting Remove from Panel
• You can move icons in the panel by holding down
  the right mouse button and selecting Move from
  the context menu

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How to Manage Icons in GNOME Application Menu

• To add an entry to a menu, do the following
• Double-click the Start Here icon on the desktop
  the Start Here location appears
• In the file manager window, double-click the icon
  that represents the menu (Applications or Menu
  SuSE) to which you want to add the launcher
• Select File gt Create Launcher a Create Launcher
  dialog box is displayed
• Enter the properties of the launcher in the
  Create Launcher dialog box then select OK

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How to Use the GNOME File Manager (Nautilus)
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How to Use the GNOME File Manager (Nautilus,
continued)
39
Exercise 2-2 Explore Your GNOME Desktop

• Whether you use KDE or GNOME is entirely a matter
  of personal preference
• The purpose of this exercise is to familiarize
  you with the GNOME desktop

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Access the Command-Line Interface from the Desktop

• Virtual terminals were created in Linux to allow
  a user to run tasks in parallel
• With virtual terminals, you can work in Linux as
  if you had several classic terminals available at
  the same time
• By default, you have six virtual terminals
  (F1F6) running on your computer
• Press Ctrl Alt Fx to switch between
  individual terminals
• Press Ctrl Alt F7 to switch back to your GUI

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Access the Command-Line Interface from the
Desktop (continued)

• You can determine the terminal currently being
  used from the tty (teletype) number (tty1tty6)
• When you switch to a virtual terminal, a login
  prompt appears
• Welcome to SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 (i586)
  - Kernel 2.6.4-27-
• default (tty1).
• da10 login
• To log out enter exit

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Access the Command-Line Interface from the
Desktop (continued)

• Besides using the virtual terminals, you can
  start a terminal emulation (called Konsole) from
  your KDE desktop Kicker by selecting the icon
  shown below
• The terminal opens inside a window with options
  you can select to modify the display of the
  terminal

43
Exercise 2-3 Access the Command Line Interface

• SLES 9 does not need a GUI for its administration
• Even with a graphical desktop environment
  running, you can switch to the text consoles any
  time if you like to
• This exercise shows you how

44
Summary

• You can interact with a Linux system using a
  graphical user interface (GUI) or command-line
  interface
• The Linux GUI is provided by the X Window System,
  which consists of an X server, window manager,
  and client applications
• A desktop environment such as KDE or GNOME can be
  used to standardize the X Window System
• The KDE Control Panel at the bottom of the KDE
  desktop may be used to start applications, switch
  virtual desktops, or open the KDE menu

45
Summary (continued)

• The top panel in the GNOME desktop may be used to
  start applications, whereas the bottom panel may
  be used to switch virtual desktops or control
  applications
• You can obtain a command-line interface in SLES
  by interacting with one of six virtual terminals
• To switch from a command-line interface to a GUI
  interface, you can use the Ctrl Alt F7 key
  combination