Logging Out | Moving to Ubuntu Linux

I started this chapter by having you log in to your Ubuntu system, and it seems fitting that I end it by having you log out. Take a look at the right corner of your top panel. You should see a little icon that looks like an open door with an arrow pointing out. When you are done your work and it's time to log out, click the door and the Exit dialog appears offering you a handful of choices (see Figure 3-18).

Figure 3-18. The Exit dialog provides a lot of options for logging out or shutting down your system.

The first and most obvious choice is to Log Out, which returns your system to the log on screen I discussed at the beginning of this chapter. You've come full circle.

Switch User is probably the most interesting option here. This option takes you back to a login screen so another user can log in and start using the system, but leaves your current session active. To switch back to the first user logged in, press <Ctrl+Alt+F7>. To switch to the second user, press <Ctrl+Alt+F8>, and so on. Why would you want to use this feature? Because it lets you quickly switch from one user's desktop to another without having to go through all the steps of logging out and logging back in. In a busy family, this can be a real time saver.

The final four options are all variations on the theme of shutting down. It's just a question of how far and how long you take this shutting down. For starters, you can Restart (or reboot) your system. You can also send it into Sleep or Hibernate mode. The difference between the two is that your system effectively powers off in hibernate mode but with your session saved until you power your system back on. If you were in the middle of typing a document, you'll be back in the middle of that document when you restart your system. Sleep is a reduced power mode where you can just hit any key to bring your system back to life.

Note

Not all computer hardware supports Sleep or Hibernate modes.

Finally, the Shut Down option is a total shut down of all your processes followed by a power down (if your hardware supports it). The system stays off until you power it back on. Unlike hibernation, you find yourself back at the main login screen.