1.1. Discovering the K Desktop Environment

This chapter introduces the K Desktop Environment (KDE). It discusses where to find your usual folders, and how to customize your desktop. It also talks about how to search for files and introduces the concept of KDE sessions. The range of features KDE offers as well as its degree of personalization is huge and you are encouraged to refer to its integrated help to learn more about this great desktop environment.

1.1.1. The Desktop

Figure 1.1. The KDE Desktop

The KDE Desktop

KDE is very much like any modern desktop. In the figure above, you see the desktop itself, icons, plasmoids (which are applets tightly integrated to the desktop), and the panel sitting at the bottom.

Use the Desktop plasmoid (which is semi-transparent and usually located at the center of the screen) to put files and folders on your desktop. Any file can be placed on the Desktop plasmoid. Clicking on a file opens its associated application.

1.1.2. The Panel

Figure 1.2. The KDE Panel

The KDE Panel

The panel is the bar which sits, by default, at the bottom of your desktop and contains the following main components:

 The Main Menu.  Allows you to access the software installed on your system. It is the equivalent of the Start Menu of Windows®. Programs are arranged into convenient categories, so you can quickly and easily find the applications you want to run.

 Show Desktop.  Use this to minimize all currently opened windows. Pressing it again will restore the windows to the state they were previously in. Handy when your desktop is full of opened windows and you want to view or access one of the plasmoids on your desktop.

 Pager Applet.  Displays applications currently opened in the virtual desktops, and makes switching between virtual desktops as easy as one, two, three. See Section 1.1.3, “Virtual Desktops” for more information.

Various Launchers and Applets.  You also find some icons to launch applications (Firefox or Mandriva Control Center for example) and other useful applets at the far right: a task organizer, network status and config, world clock, etc.

1.1.3. Virtual Desktops

Think of virtual desktops as having several screens available but with only one monitor. Right click on the pager applet and select Configure Desktops to add or remove virtual desktops and change desktop names to more meaningful ones such as Work, Play or Internet.

The Pager applet makes it easier to quickly spot your applications and distinguish between them. To switch between virtual desktops just click on the desktop number in the applet et voilà !

You can also move application windows from one desktop to another. To do so, simply click an application's icon in a virtual desktop, then drag-and-drop it to the desktop you want.

When you log in into KDE, the virtual desktop you were in when you closed your last session is re-opened.