KDE

KDE (K Desktop Environment), the most popular desktop environment, is shown in Figure 5-2.

Notice the blank work surface, icons on the desktop, and a panel at the bottom. The first icon at the left of the panel shows a big K, the KDE logo. This icon opens a menu of applications (the menu looks very similar to the start menu on Windows). Because the desktop is provided by Mandrake in its distribution, the icons and panel contents are customized by Mandrake, as seen by the Mandrake Welcome icon on the desktop.

Although GNOME is the default desktop for Red Hat and Fedora, a customized version of KDE, called Bluecurve KDE, is also provided with their distributions. Bluecurve KDE has a red hat logo for the start menu icon, rather than the K logo. And, of course, Bluecurve KDE doesn't have a Mandrake Welcome icon.

The GNOME desktop shown on the previous page (Figure 5-1) is very similar. It too has a workspace, icons, and a panel. The difference is mainly in the icons on the desktop and the organization of the panel. Using the desktop is discussed in Chapter 6.