SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop Administration2-1

Chapter 2

Use the Linux Desktop

At a Glance

Instructor’s Manual Table of Contents
  • Overview
  • Objectives
  • Teaching Tips
  • Quick Quizzes
  • Class Discussion Topics
  • Additional Projects
  • Additional Resources
  • Key Terms

Lecture Notes

Overview

Chapter 2 gives an overview of the graphical user interfaces of SUSE Linux EnterpriseDesktop and explains how to access the command line.

Chapter Objectives

  • Objective 1—Overview of the Linux Desktop
  • Objective 2—Use the GNOME Desktop Environment
  • Objective 3—Access the Command-Line Interface from the Desktop

Teaching Tips

Objective 1—Overview of the Linux Desktop

  1. Define the X Window System, simply called X or X11, as the base of any graphical user interface on Linux. It allows you to control the input and output of several applications in different windows of a graphical interface.
  1. Explain that X uses a client/server architecture. The X server controls the graphical screen. The client application uses the services of the X server to receive keyboard and mouse actions.

Teaching

Tip /
The communication between X server and X client uses the network protocol TCP/IP—even if the server and client run on the same computer.
  1. Define Window managers as specialized client applications that provide control elements, manage virtual desktops, and provide functionality of window frames.
  1. Mention that the X Window System is not linked to any specific window manager. Desktop environments go far beyond the look and feel window managers provide for desktops and manipulating windows.
  1. Use Figure 2-1 to show the client/server architecture of the X Window System.

Teaching

Tip /
Point your students to for additional information about the X Window System architecture.

Objective 2—Use the GNOME Desktop Environment

  1. Mention that GNOME is a comfortable desktop environment.

Teaching

Tip / Read more about GNOME at:
  1. This section describes the following:
  2. Log In
  3. Log Out and Shut Down
  4. Identify GNOME Desktop Components
  5. Manage Icons in GNOME
  6. Use the GNOME File Manager (Nautilus)

Log In

  1. Explain that when working with a multiuser-capable operating system, you must first identify yourself to the operating system using a login string or username and a password. Use Figures 2-2 and 2-3 to illustrate your explanation.

Log Out and Shut Down

  1. Explain that you can log out by opening the Computer menu (also called main menu) and selecting the Logout entry. Use Figures 2-4 and 2-5 to illustrate your explanation.
  1. Mention that when back at the login screen, four options appear in the lower-left corner:
  2. Language
  3. Session
  4. Reboot
  5. Shut Down
  1. Explain that you can shut down the computer directly from the GNOME desktop by selecting Shutdown on the right side of the Computer menu. Use Figure 2-6 to illustrate your explanation.

Teaching

Tip / You should always shut down your computer before you turn it off.

Exercise 2-1: Log In to and Log Out of the GNOME Desktop

  1. In this exercise, log in to the GNOME desktop as user geeko (password novell). Then, log out again. Perform these tasks from the GUI login screen (where youwere left after installing SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10).

Identify GNOME Desktop Components

  1. Use Figure 2-7 to describe the content of the GNOME desktop bottom panel.
  1. Explain that most programs are started from the main menu. Use Figures 2-8 and 2-9 to describe the content of the main menu and Application browser.

Quick Quiz 1

  1. The base of any graphical user interface on Linux is the X Window System (simply called X or ____).

Answer: X11

  1. The ____ controls the graphical screen. This corresponds roughly to what would be called a graphics driver on other systems.

Answer: X server

  1. ____ is the standard graphical desktop for SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10.

Answer: GNOME

  1. When you are ready to log out of the system, open the Computer menu (also called ____) in the bottom panel.

Answer: main menu

Manage Icons in GNOME

  1. Explain that to create an icon for an application, you should select the item in your application menu, drag it to a free space on your desktop, and release the mouse button.
  1. Describe how to create a new icon on your desktop. Use Figures 2-10 through 2-13 to illustrate your explanation.
  1. Use Figure 2-14 to explain how to add, delete, and move icons in the bottom panel of your desktop.
  1. Describe the tasks required to add icons to the list of favorite applications, including:
  2. Open the main menu in the panel. The menu appears.
  3. Select More Applications.
  4. Using the right mouse button, select an application item in the right frame.
  5. Select Add to Favorites from the pop-up menu.

Exercise 2-2: Work with Icons in GNOME

  1. In this exercise, add a new launcher labeled xeyes (for the program /usr/X11R6/bin/xeyes) to your desktop. The icon for the new launcher should be gnomeeog.png. Then, add the applet Geyes to your bottom panel and remove it again.

Use the GNOME File Manager (Nautilus)

  1. Explain that you can start Nautilus by selecting the username’s Home icon on the desktop, or by selecting Nautilus from the main menu.
  1. Mention that normally, Nautilus shows the content of the user’s home directory after starting. Use Figure 2-15 to illustrate your explanation.
  1. Explain that you can see your current position in the location bar below the toolbar.All higher directories are shown as buttons.

Teaching

Tip / Read more about GNOME Nautilus at:

Exercise 2-3: Use the GNOME File Manager (Nautilus)

  1. In this exercise, you explore your GNOME desktop.

Objective 3—Access the Command-Line Interface from the Desktop

  1. Explain that virtual terminals allow you to work in Linux as if you have several classic serial terminals available at the same time.
  1. Mention that you can have up to six virtual terminals (F1-F6) running on your computer. By pressing Ctrl+Alt+Fx, you can switch between individual terminals.By pressing Ctrl+Alt+F7, you can switch back to your graphical user interface.
  1. Mention that when you switch to a virtual terminal, a login prompt appears.
  1. Explain that you can start a terminal emulation from your GNOME desktop by selecting GNOME Terminal or X Terminal from the main menu. Use Figure 2-18 to illustrate your explanation.
  1. Mention that the terminal opens inside a window.It includes menus you can use to modify the display of the terminal.
  1. Explain that you can also start a GNOME Terminal by right-clicking on the desktop background and selecting Open Terminal.

Exercise 2-4: Access the Command-Line Interface

  1. In this exercise, log in as user geeko at the first virtual terminal. Then, switch to the second virtual terminal and verify that a login prompt is shown there. Before switching back to the graphical user interface, log out from the first virtualterminal.

Quick Quiz 2

  1. True or False: To create an icon for an application on your desktop, select the item in your application menu, drag it to a free space on your desktop, and release the mouse button.

Answer:True

  1. GNOME provides its own file manager (called ____).

Answer: Nautilus

  1. With ____ terminals, you can work in Linux as if you have several classic serial terminals available at the same time.

Answer: virtual

  1. With SLED 10,you can have up to ____ virtual terminals running on your computer.

Answer: six (6)

Class Discussion Topics

  1. What are the functions performed by a Desktop manager?
  1. Discuss the functionality of GNOME in more detail.

Additional Projects

  1. The Y Window System is intended to be the successor of the X Window System. Ask your students to use the Internet to find more information about the Y Window System. They should then write a report summarizing its most important characteristics.
  1. Ask your students to read more about other desktop environments available for SLED 10 and write a report with the most important points, including advantages and disadvantages of each environment. The following link can be used as a starting point:

Additional Resources

  1. X Window System
  1. GNOME
  1. The GNOME Developer Site
  1. Nautilus
  1. The Y Window System
  1. Windowing system

Key Terms

client application The application program that receives keyboard and mouse input from the X server and sends screen output to the X server. It can run on the same or different computerthan the X server. It is also called the X client.

desktop The main workspace used by a graphical user interface. In GNOME, the desktoprefers to all workspace areas including the panel.

desktop environment A set of software components that standardize the look and feel of the desktop. There are two standard GUI desktop environments available in most Linuxdistributions: KDE and GNOME.

GNOME A common Linux desktop environment that uses the GNOME window manager.GNOME stands for GNU Object Model Environment.

GNOME Terminal A virtual terminal that can be started from within the GNOME desktopenvironment.

GNOME window manager See Metacity.

graphical user interface (GUI) A graphical interface that allows users to manipulate icons tocontrol the operating system and run application programs.

KDE A common Linux desktop environment that uses the KDE window manager. KDE standsfor K Desktop Environment.

Metacity The default window manager used by the GNOME desktop environment in SUSELinux.

Nautilus The default file navigation utility that is included with GNOME.

panel The bar at the bottom of the GNOME desktop used to open menus, switch virtualdesktops, and start applications.

Tab window manager (twm) A small stand-alone window manager that uses few systemresources; can be used instead of the KDE or GNOME desktop.

TCP/IP The default network protocol used on Linux systems. It stands for Transmission ControlProtocol/Internet Protocol.

virtual desktops Separate workspaces that you can use within a desktop environment such asKDE or GNOME.

virtual terminals The system components that allow you to log in to and interact with a command-line user interface. You can use and switch between six virtual terminals by default onmost Linux systems (tty1-tty6).

window manager The component of the X Window System that controls the look and feel ofwindows on the desktop.

X See X Window System.

X11 See X Window System.

X server The component of the X Window System that accepts information from clientapplications and draws graphical images to the screen.

X Terminal A virtual terminal that can be started from within the GNOME desktopenvironment.

X Window System The set of software components that provides a graphical user interface inLinux. It is also called X or X11.

XFree86 The traditional X server used on older Linux systems.

X.org The default X server used by SUSE Linux.