CHAPTER 3LINUX

DESKTOP ENVIRONME

NT

The Desktop Environment

A common graphical user interface and platform

A collection of programs working together with:similar look and feelfacilities for inter-process communication

and passing of datadrag-and-drop, cut-and-paste functionalities

between applications

The Desktop Environment In LinuxTwo commonly used ones:i- GNOME (GNU Object Model

Environment)www.gnome.org

ii-KDE (K Desktop Environment)www.kde.org

Both GNOME and KDE come with a set of advanced productivity tools and applications e.g. text editors, word processors, spreadsheets and web browsers

KDE applications can run in GNOME and vice versa if the graphic libraries required by each of these desktop environments are available

GNOME• Is a desktop environment—a graphical user interface that runs on top of a computer operating system• composed entirely of free and open source software.• GNOME is part of the GNU Project and can be used with various Unix-like operating systems, most notably GNU/Linux, and as part of the Java Desktop System in Solaris.

The GNOME Desktop

3 main components: the Menu System, the Panel, the Desktop itself

GNOME 2.20

The Menu SystemClick on the Main Menu button

Generic GNOME Main Menu button Red Hat / Fedora Main Menu button

Sub-menus within menuClick on entry to launch application22/ 7 /2010

The Menu System

The PanelLong bar across the bottom of the desktopMain menu icon, the application launcher

icons, notification area and appletsInstalled by default are several application

launcher icons on the panel. Clicking on one of these will run an application. Commonly accessed applications can be added to the panel and those that are less frequently used can be taken off.

Panel AppletsSmall applications that run on the panel;

perform useful tasks e.g.Workspace switcherTaskbarScreenshotClockSticky Notes

The Desktop

Icons - short-cuts to application launchers, file folders, files and peripheral devices

Double-click on icon to launch a program or to open a file or device

Commonly used applications and/or files/folders are usually placed on the desktop space.

The KDE DesktopAn alternative to GNOME, widely used in

Linux and other OSS platformsMany Linux systems support both (only

one can be used at any one time)KDE applications can run in GNOME and

vice versa if the graphic libraries required by each of these desktop environments are available

The KDE DesktopTo switch to KDE use:At the graphical login screen, click on

Session (at the bottom) and select KDE

The KDE DesktopOr use a desktop switching program, e.g. for

Fedora/Red Hat,Main Menu --> System Settings --> More

System Settings --> Desktop Switching Tool

The KDE DesktopKDE has many similarities as well as some

differences with the GNOME desktopKDE makes use of the Main Menu, Panel and

the desktop tooSome differences in handling the placement

of icons on the desktop and panel

The KDE Desktop

Right-clicking an icon brings up different options

Entries in the Main Menu may not be identical

Control CenterA central place where all the Desktop and

system configuration can be set and viewedMain Menu --> Control Center

To configure a particular setting, open up the section it is under and select the item to configure

For example, to change the background colour, select,Appearance & Themes --> Background

Control Center

KonquerorStandards-compliant web browser and

default file manager for KDENavigate filesystem as you would the WWWProvides all the normal file manager

functionalities:navigation of the filesystemfile/folder copying, renaming, deletion

creationapplication launching

Able to display graphic image files and generate an image gallery web page from them.

Conqueror

Konqueror File Manager

Konqueror

Konqueror Web Browser

Help CenterExtensive KDE online documentation – the

Help Center, invoke by,Main Menu --> Help

Covers the graphical desktop usage, configuration as well as the KDE applets and applications

Standard Unix/Linux manual and info pages can be accessed from here too.

Help Center

DEFAULT DESKTOP IN LINUX DISTRIBUTIONDistribution Default Desktop

Ubuntu GNOME

Kubuntu KDE

Xubuntu XFce

Alinex GNOME

aLinux KDE

Ark Linux KDE

CentOS GNOME

Knoppix LXDE

MEPIS KDE

openSUSE GNOME, KDE, Xfce

Red Hat Enterprise Linux GNOME

Slackware KDE, Xfce

Xandros Desktop OS KDE

Office ApplicationOpenOffice.org (OOo)comprises a collection of applications that

work together closely to provide the features commonly included in modern office suites. Many of the components mirror those available in Microsoft Office. The components available include:

a- Writer : word processor similar to Microsoft Word and WordPerfect

b –Calc : A spreadsheet similar to Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3.c –Impress : A presentation program similar to Microsoft

PowerPoint and Apple Keynoted – Base : A database management program similar to Microsoft

Accesse –Draw : A vector graphics editor and diagramming tool, similar to

Microsoft Visio and comparable in features to early versions of CorelDRAW

f – Math : tool for creating and editing mathematical formulae, similar to Microsoft Equation Editor

Internet ApplicationInternet applications enable users to make full use of

Internet connection. Example of Internet Application: a)Web Browsers - Mozilla Firefox - IceCat - SeaMonkey - IceApe - Opera - Chromium - Google Chrome b) Download Manager - Downloader for X

c) Newsreaders - Akregator

- RSSOwl

d) Instant Messengers - Empathy - Pidgin - Kopete Konversation (IRC client) aMSN - Emesene

e) FTP Clients - Filezilla

f) Filesharing / P2P Transmission (BitTorrent Client) KTorrent Azureus QTorrent Apollon (P2P Filesharing) MLDonkey (P2P eMule/eDonkey2000)

Email Application @ Email ClientExamples as below:Evolution Thunderbird KMail

Graphic Application Examples as below:GIMP (Image Manipulator) Dia (Diagram editor) Kivio (Diagram editor) Inkscape Vector Illustrator Digikam (Photo Organiser) Google Picasa (Photo Organiser) Tesseract (Optical Character Reader) Cuneiform (Optical Character Reader) Xsane (Scanning utility) Gnome-Scan (Scanning Utility) Gwenview (Image Manipulator) OpenClipart (ClipArt Library)

Entertainment Applicationa) Videoconferencing and VOIP

Ekiga Skype Wengophone Gizmo5 Asterisk VOIP PBX system OpenSIPS / OpenSER (SIP server) Web meetings

BigBlueButton WebHuddle DimDim

b) Video Applications OpenShot PiTiVi (Non-linear Video Editing Suite) Avidemux (Video editor/processor) Kino (Non-linear Video Editing Suite) KdenLive (Non-linear Video Editing Suite for KDE) Cinelerra (Non-linear Video Editing Suite) LiVES (Video editor/processor) OpenMovieEditor Blender Stopmotion (Animation)

REFERENCESS• http://linuxreviews.org/software/desktops/

•http://www.gnome.org/about/•http://www.gnu.org/•http://www.kde.org/