1. Reasons for logging on as a root

1. Reasons for logging on as a root

• Most people are familiar with Windows systems with regard to administrative privileges. Many user running windows are used to having full access all the time.

• With UNIX or Linux and any other network environment, administrative privileges are accessed and used only as needed.

• Our lab policy will not allow root logins but requiring the use of the su - command to get access to the root account whenever administrative privileges are required. (once we learn that next week)

2. GUIs available for Linux

• GNOME• KDE• XFCE• Enlightenment Window Maker—DR16 for

the window manager or DR17 for the desktop

• Fluxbox

• Unoffical packages are availble for several platforms including: Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, ArchLinux, and Gentoo.

3. The structure of the X Window system

• The structure of the X Window system is different from the normal client-server relationship and from what most users see in Windows.

• hardware at the bottom of the stack• the server above that• the window manager above the server providing

basic widgets and window management features such as close and minimize.

Gnome, Kde etc.

• X is primarily a protocol and graphics primitives definition and it deliberately contains no specification for application user interface design, such as button, menu, or window title bar styles.

• Instead, application software – such as window managers, GUI widget toolkits and desktop environments, or application-specific graphical user interfaces - define and provide such details.

• As a result, there is no typical X interface and several desktop environments have been popular among users.

• A window manager controls the placement and appearance of application windows.

• Many users use X with a full desktop environment, which includes a window manager, various applications and a consistent interface.

• As X is responsible for keyboard and mouse interaction with graphical desktops

4. Elements of the GNOME desktop

• Although KDE has achieved considerable popularity for its collection of utilities, GNOME is considered the predominant desktop for Linux because of the quality of its design and its clean interface. UNIX systems such as Solaris have begun to adopt GNOME.

The Menu Panel

• This panel stretches across the top of the screen. The left side contains three menus and a number of default icons that start software applications, and on the right it provides a clock, fast user switching, a volume control, and a notification area.

• Applications Menu • Places Menu • System Menu

Applications Menu

• This menu contains a categorized list of installed applications, which are updated as necessary when software is installed or removed.

• If you hold the mouse over a software entry, a brief description of its function appears.

• If you click one of these entries, that application starts.

Places Menu • This menu is divided into four subsections. • The first subsection allows quick access to commonly

accessed folders, and makes it easy to keep your file system organized.

• The second subsection allows quick access to the CD/DVD creator tool, and to the Computer window, which allows you to browse all data storage attached to the computer. This subsection also grows to include links to any removable media you attach to the computer. For example, if you insert a CD or a USB stick, it will appear in this menu.

• The third section provides links to tools that help you browse and manage network locations.

• The fourth section lists recently accessed documents, and provides access to a search function that helps you quickly access any file on the system.

System Menu • This menu is divided into three subsections. The

first provides access to configuration tools. – The Preferences menu contains tools that affect only

your account, and only require normal user access. – The Administration menu contains tools that affect the

whole system and require root access. These tools prompt for the root password when launched.

• The second section provides access to the Help documentation, along with information about the Fedora project, and the different teams that make it up, and about the GNOME project.

• The third section contains entries to pause or end the current session. Lock Screen starts the screen saver or blanks the screen depending on the session configuration. Enter your password to restore your session to the screen.

Application Launchers

• The series of icons next to the menus provide quick access to commonly used applications. These icons are called launchers.

• Mozilla Firefox web browser. • Evolution mail client and personal information

manager. • OpenOffice.org Writer is a word processing

program. • OpenOffice.org Impress is for creating and

giving presentations. • OpenOffice.org Calc is a spreadsheet tool.