Section 3.2. Logging In

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3.2. Logging In

In order to use a Linux system, you must first "log in" with a suitable "username." A username is a unique name that distinguishes you from the other users of the system. For example, my own username is "ables." Your username and initial password are assigned to you by the system administrator, or set during installation. It's sometimes necessary to press the Enter key (also known as the Return key) a couple of times to make the system give you a login prompt. Many Linux machines display a login box rather than a text prompt. You are first prompted for your username and then for your password. When you enter your password, the letters that you type are not displayed for security reasons. Linux is case sensitive, so make sure that the case of the letters is matched exactly. Depending on how your system is set up, you should then see either a $ or a % prompt, or the X Window System graphical interface may be started. Here's an example login:

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Fedora Core release 2 (Tettnang) Kernel 2.6.5-1.358 on an i686 bluenote login: ables Password:     ...what I typed here is secret and doesn't show. Last login: Sun Feb 15 18:33:26 from dialin $ _ 

It's quite common for the system to immediately ask you which kind of terminal you're using. This is so that it can set special characters like the backspace and cursor movement keys to their correct values. You are usually allowed to press the Enter key for the default terminal setting, and I suggest that you do this when you log in for the first time. I'll show you later how to change the terminal type if necessary. Other possible events that might occur when you log in are:

• A help system recognizes that you're a first-time user and asks you whether you'd like a guided tour of Linux.

• The "news of the day" messages are displayed to your screen, informing you of scheduled maintenance times and other useful information.

On a system with a fully installed X Window System, after typing in your password, the Desktop Environment takes a minute to start up. You are then presented with a graphical desktop (similar to the examples in Chapter 2, "Installing Your Linux System").