Along with GNOME, KDE is one of the two most sophisticated graphical environments. We will now discover KDE's possibilities in every-day work.
Here is the whole KDE (the colors are lightened for printing reasons). The tool bar will be evoked later on. Different icons are directly available on the desktop:
Table 9-1. The KDE Desktop's Icons
![]() | Launches the software manager, which is described at "Package Management". |
![]() | Here you get the Mandrake Control Center, described at "Mandrake Control Center". |
![]() | Configuring your Network access (please see "Configuring Internet Connections"). |
![]() | Access to all MandrakeSoft documentation. |
![]() | Mandrake News. |
![]() | Mandrake Expert. |
![]() | Mandrake Campus. |
![]() | Printing configuration and control. |
![]() | Launches the file manager from your home directory (please refer to Konqueror: the File Manager). |
![]() | Launches the file manager in order to browse the CD-ROM's contents. |
![]() | Launches the file manager in order to browse the floppy disk's contents. |
![]() | Tool used to "kill" rapidly an application which is not working correctly. |
Table 9-2. The KDE Tool Bar
![]() | The K menu used to access the software installed on your machine. |
![]() | Click on this icon to minimize all your windows. Click again to maximize them. |
![]() | Launches the konsole program to use the command line (please refer to the Reference manual for extensive information on the use of the command line). |
![]() | Launches KDE's Control Center used to configure your environment. Please refer to Changing Styles. |
![]() | The lifebuoy which allows to access the integrated help system. It will be detailed in the next section. |
![]() | Another icon used to launch the file manager from your home directory. |
![]() | Launches the Konqueror web browser. |
![]() | Launches KDE's mail client. |
![]() | A powerful text editor which holds sophisticated features. |
![]() | These buttons allow to switch from one virtual desktop to another. Virtual desktops are detailed on Manipulating Virtual Desktops. |
![]() | The task bar holds a button for every application you have launched. |
![]() | This button allows to lock your keyboard and mouse. Hence, no one can use it while you are away. |
![]() | Click on this button to quit KDE. |
![]() | The clipboard and its parameters. |
![]() | The clock, which also displays the date. Click on it to get a complete calendar. |
![]() | Click on this button to "roll up" the tool bar on the right of the screen. |