Desktop Environments

In the past, Unix-based window managers have been used to manage the user's screen and apply customization. With the launch and continued development of Linux, this is changing at a rapid rate. The advanced desktop environments that come with Linux and newer versions of Unix now provide users with a more sophisticated experience.

There are many tasks you can do on the desktop, such as access most if not all of your programs, start a shell, and type in commands. You can also manage files, which we will start to cover in the next lesson, "The File System Explained." Although there are many other tasks you can carry out, these are the most common ones performed on any system.

Ease of Use Can Be Career Limiting Remember, the power of Unix is at the shell prompt. Do not get too accustomed to working with the GUI until you have mastered some of the aspects of the command line. Try to balance your learning using both methods; do not become dependent on the GUI.

KDE

In our final section of this lesson, we will cover KDE, which stands for the K Desktop Environment. There are many other environments you can use, with one of the most popular being GNOME. Another popular environment is the Novell Linux Desktop (NLD), which is similar to GNOME and KDE. You can see this environment by going to Novell's website at http://www.novell.com/products/desktop/.

Although many more environments are under development, KDE is still the most common, and because there is a lot of documentation on it, it is easier to learn. (Remember, documentation and research are important to learning Unix.) The growth of use in KDE is similar to that with window managers; thus, although there are many environments, use the one that best fits your needs. Remember, however, that KDE installs as the default shell in many popular Linux distributions, such as Novell's SuSE Linux Professional.

KDE is an excellent window manager and once mastered, it will allow you to do most anything. For example, KDE will allow you to customize your environment in whatever way you want or need. If you want to change your shell or modify your environment further, you will learn more doing so in Lesson 16, "Modifying Your Environment."

Choose Wisely! Sitting on top of most copies of X these days is the K Desktop Environment (KDE) or the GNU Network Object Model Environment (GNOME). Choose whichever one best fits your needs. The only way to understand which one is right for you is to first define your needs and then research each desktop environment to see which one will serve you best. Install and utilize the environment that you want when you are ready.

So, how does KDE work with the X Window System? When you normally log in to SuSE, you use a graphical login screen, which we learned about in Lesson 1, "Getting Started." That screen is your first taste of the X Window System. Once you log in, your environment is configured. So, what if you want to change it? With SuSE Linux, you can use a tool called SaX (or SaX2). SaX2 is the X configuration tool for Novell's SuSE Linux. It runs for the first time during the initial SuSE Linux Professional installation, where it identifies your graphics card, installs the graphics drivers, and sets up X to its default configuration. These settings are conveniently stored in the .XF86Config file found in /etc/X11/XF86Config.

In addition to user interface sophistication, KDE provides an integrated suite of tools for configuring your machine. If you are a Windows or Macintosh user, then KDE will seem like second nature to you. It has the same point-and-click feel that other GUI-based operating systems like Windows and Macintosh also have.

If you're looking for a way to make your Unix experience feel a bit more like using your personal computer, then use KDE, but remember that the true power of Unix is in the commands you use at the shell prompt.