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Unit 4: Configuring Desktop

notes
figure 4.3: the Desktop switcher

4.1.3 Basic operation of the Desktop

Because GNOME is the default, It is going to cover it in fair detail. However, we’ll also discuss
some KDE applets and features. As a result, this discussion assumes that you’ve installed all of
GNOME and KDE.
There are four primary components to the GNOME desktop environment:
1. The desktop is the entire area on the screen except for the bar at the bottom.

2. The panel (Linux-speak for the Windows taskbar) is the strip at the bottom that contains a
variety of icons and widgets.
3. The Main Menu (the Linux version of the Windows Start menu) is displayed by clicking on
the red fedora icon at the far left of the panel.
4. The system applets, which provide a graphical interface to using the OS, are found through
various menu options via the Main Menu.
Desktop

The GNOME desktop looks and feels much like other graphical desktops, complete with icons,
wallpaper (in Fedora Core, they’re called Desktop Backgrounds), screensavers, and, when
applications are open, windows. Double-clicking an icon on the desktop runs the program or
opens the file associated with the icon. Right-clicking an open area of the desktop displays a
context menu from which you can choose a different background.

Screensavers can be configured by clicking Main Menu | Preferences | Screensavers, as shown
in Figure 4.4.

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