Linux All-in-One For Dummies, 5th Edition

Chapter 2

The KDE Desktop

In This Chapter

Discovering KDE’s common features

Introducing the Main Menu

Configuring the panel and the desktop

As mentioned in Chapter 1 of this minibook, Linux distributions come with one (or both) of two popular graphical user interfaces (GUIs) — GNOME (or one or more of its variants) and KDE. With both interfaces installed, you can switch between the two in a matter of seconds. If you don’t like GNOME, you can use KDE; or if you don’t like KDE, you can use GNOME.

This chapter explores the major features of KDE, just as Chapter 1 of this minibook examines GNOME. I strongly encourage you to try both GUIs before you decide which one you’re most comfortable using. Remember, you can run KDE applications under GNOME and vice versa. Several installation procedures, including those for Fedora and openSUSE, allow you to choose to install KDE or GNOME. Installing only one interface by default allows for a quicker and easier setup and installation; you can always go back and install the other interface later.

Each distribution customizes the desktop, so there ...