When you log into a GNOME session, you will see a desktop similar to the one shown in Figure 8.1.
The desktop itself is where the icons lay (in the upper-left corner). In the following table, we explain what they represent.
Table 8.1. GNOME Desktop Icons
The icons on your desktop are all linked to different types of files, directories, web sites or applications. Here are the actions which will be undertaken according to the item.
If it's a data file, the appropriate program will start up with that data loaded. If no program has been associated to such a data file, you will be asked to choose which application to use.
If it is a directory, the file manager will be launched and show the contents of that directory.
If it is a web address, GNOME will start Mozilla (the default web browser).
You can also right-click on any of these icons to produce a pop-up menu, which contains a list of actions. This list contains options such as Open, Open With, Rename and Properties (the latter also allows you to change some of the parameters of that icon).
At the bottom of the desktop sits the panel which contains a few default components.
Table 8.2. GNOME Panel Objects
On the left of the clock is the workspace switcher (the section called “Workspace Switcher”). To its right you will find the . The last one has only one function: click on it to minimize or restore all windows on your desktop.
In our example we see, from left to right, The GIMP, a powerful raster graphics application, and the GNOME terminal. At the extreme-right are the 4 workspaces. As you can see, the first on the left is in blue, while the three others are in grey. The blue one is the “active” workspace, that is the one in which you are presently. We will speak more about workspaces in the section called “Workspace Switcher”.
Finally, there is a “hidden” menu which can be very useful: the Desktop Background menu. By right-clicking anywhere on the desktop (away from the icons, application windows, and panels), you will be able to access your CD-ROM, floppy disk, and other removable drives. This menu also allows you to Open New Windows (which opens Nautilus), Create Folders (which creates a new folder on your desktop), Open a Terminal (the section called “GNOME Panel”, see the GNOME terminal description). It also enables you to change the desktop background image, place new icons on the desktop, and more.