Graphical User Interfaces in Linux
GNOME/KDE/X-window system
—————————
– X-window system
. It is the main GUI component of linux.
. It is based on client/server Architechure.
. Applications are called x-clients & display is called x-server.
. x-cleints communicates with x-server using x-protocol.
. x window system was developed by Athena project of MIT; now handled by
xc-consortium.
. It is plateform independent.
. It should not be pluralized.
GNOME (global network object model environment)
. It is default & consistent desktop environment.
. It has been developed using GTK toolkit.
KDE (K Desktop environment)
. It is also consistent desktop environment of Redhat Linux.
. It has been developed using QT-toolkit.
Window Managers
—————–
– Metacity – GNOME window manager
KWM – KDE
-Display Manager (GUI login screen)
#runlevel
N 5 (current runlevel)
1= single user mode
3- only text-based terminals (f1-f6) are available
5 – both text-based terminals ( f1-f6) & GUI (f7) are available
to switch level
—————-
#init <runlevel> to switch into the specified runlevel
eg. #init 5
To add runlevel at system startup
open
# vi /etc/inittab
change
id:5:initdwefault:
change 5 into 3 or desired
to logout from GUI mode
press ALT+CTRL+<backspace>
GDM= GNOME display manager
XDM= xfree86 ,, ,,
to change display manager
—————————
#vi /etc/sysconfig/desktop
DESKTOP=”GNOME”
remove above desktop=”gnome” line and add following
DISPLAYMANAGER=”GNOME”
OR
“KDE”
OR
“XDM”
-Desktop switching load
14 June 05 RHCE Preparation Course
GNOME/KDE/X-windows system (Contd..)
GNU Applications
* GUI Terminals
#gnome-terminal – gnome terminal
#konsole – KDE
#xterm – XFree86
* GUI Editors
#gedit – GNOME Editor
#kwrite – KDE
#gvim – GUI version of vi
#xemacs – ,, ,, ,, emacs
* Web Browsers
#mozilla – standard web browser
#konqueror – KDE ,, ,, ,,
#nautilus – Web browser/file manager
* Email Clients
#Mozilla Mail – Standard email client
#kmail – KDE ,, ,, ,,
#evolution – Gnome ,, ,,
* Office Applications
#office.org Office suit
#oowriter – word processing application
#oocalc – Calculator
#ooimpress – Presentation software etc…..
* Some more GNOME applications
#gnumeric – Spread sheet
#mrproject – Project management software
#gnomemeeting – Video conferencing software