The GNOME menu holds everything you need to fully utilize your new Mandrake Linux system. Let us start with the basics.
First off, do not be surprised if you think you saw some of the utilities previously. In fact, we have already covered the Panel and Log-Out buttons, only to name those. So when you open your GNOME menu, the first items you should see are the Log out, Lock screen and Panel sub-menus. The latter allows you to configure it, whether it be colors, location, size, etc. And if you choose the Global Preferences sub-menu, you will end up in the GNOME Control Center, where you can set the essential panel parameters. Surf through the different options to fully personalize them to your liking.
This sub-menu enables software launching. Say you want to run Emacs, simply click on the Run menu and type emacs in the blank field and voilą, Emacs is launched.
This category of utilities/programs is split into six sub-menus: Amusements, Clocks, Monitors, Multimedia, Network and Utility. You can add those applets to your panel or launch them by leaving your mouse cursor on the applet of your choice.
Two items are located in this sub-menu: About Gnome and Help System (the latter we detailed earlier). The About Gnome sub-menu leads you to an interface which gives you three choices: GNOME News Site, GNOME Main Site and GNOME Developer's Site.
Guess what? Linux holds a set of fun games, such as GNOME Chess, Xgammon and KAsteroids, etc.
Wishing you could modify configuration parameters? Explore this sub-menu as you will find useful applications to better manage your Mandrake Linux system. Included are KDE, Boot & Init, GNOME, Hardware, Printing, Packaging and Networking sub-menus. Be careful what you do in the Configuration menu, you may damage your station. In doubt, please ask a qualified system administrator.
If your main computer use is Internet-related, this is the section for you. Here you will find IRC, WWW, Chat, Mail, News, Remote access, Instant messaging and File transfer sub-menus. Remember: many programs exist for all of those items. Feel free to test a few clients before using by default software such as netscape. You may prefer the Konqueror browser for example or KMail as a mail client. This is one of GNU/Linux's strong point: you have a wide array of software applications from which you can choose.
As stated, many command line (Terminal) exist. Once again, choose the one you feel most comfortable with.
With the Office sub-menu, this is one you are more likely to explore in depth. The list of applications is pretty long. Let us quote a couple of interesting sub-menus such as Text Tools, Communications, Editors and Publishing.
Typical office tools are contained in this sub-menu: spreadsheet, text editor, PDF viewer clients.
MP3 aficionados and graphic artists, this is your hot corner. There you can opt for XMMS, your MP3 player par excellence, GIMP to edit your favorite images and personal graphic work and different sound mixers, etc.
That's all for our GNOME tour. The only way to master GNOME is to read, practice, read, practice, read... You understand :-)