A Windows users guide to the KDE desktop on Linux

Introduction

The two main desktops for Linux are Gnome which is kind of "Mac OS like" and KDE which is more "Windows like." This guide is to introduce PC users currently running Windows to the KDE desktop on Linux. 

KDE can run on almost every modern Linux distribution and this guide is can be used with any recent KDE installation. For the purposes of simplicity any specific examples will based on Slax and PCLinuxOS. Both distributions are very well made, can be run directly from CD or installed as you wish. Slax is based on Slackware Linux which is one of the purest Linux distributions and PClinuxOS is based on Mandrake Linux which is one of the easiest to use distributions.

Logging in

Each user needs to log in to Linux. This adds security, allows personalization of the desktop and other settings and gives a safe environment for you to use the computer in. There are two basic types of user account in Linux: "root" and normal user. "Root" is like the Windows "Administrator" account and has permission to do anything including installing programs and changing essential system files. You should only log in as root when necessary and then log out as soon as possible afterwards. The normal user account can run programs but not do any damage to the system.

The login with either be graphical (like login in to Windows on a network) or text based. PCLinuxOS uses a graphical login. Type in your username in the first field, your password in the second field and click the log in button. This will log you in and start KDE. Slax uses a text login. When Linux has started and you have reached what looks like an DOS command prompt type your username and hit enter, then your password and hit enter. You are now logged in. To start KDE type the command startx and hit enter.

The KDE desktop

The screenshot on the left shows the default PCLinuxOS desktop and the screenshot on the right shows the default Slax desktop. (Click to enlarge)

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the bottom of the desktop is the "panel", this is where you will start most tasks in KDE.

Starting at the very left there is the "K" button. This is like the Start button in the bottom left hand corner of Windows. Clicking it expands the K menu (as seen in the Slax screenshot on the right) with your installed programs on. Most applications are grouped together in common categories such as "Office" or "Internet". To run a program, click the K, navigate to it and left click once. For example to run the OpenOffice.org Writer word processor click K > Office > OpenOffice.org Writer.

Neighboring the K button on the right is the icon bar which contains shortcuts to a few of the most common applications. This vary slightly with each distribution but normally include a shell program (like DOS) to type commands in, a file manager (like Windows Explorer) to navigate your hard drive with, a web browser, an email program and a word processor. This can be customized to include any applications you use frequently.

In roughly the middle of the panel are the squares representing the virtual desktops in KDE. (See the PCLinuxOS screenshot on the left) Virtual desktops allow you to organize your open programs in to different screens so that you don't see them all at once. For example: on 'Desktop 1' I could have the Kmail email application, the OpenOffice.org Writer word processor and and Konquerer web browser. On 'Desktop 2' I could have an open card game of KPatience. To switch between the desktops just click one of the squares. It is possible to have between 2 and 9 desktops. 

Further to the right you will see the equivalent of the Windows System Tray that runs mini-programs all the time. 

On the far right you will see the time/date.

Windows Explorer

The equivalent of the Windows Explorer file manager to navigate around your hard drive is Konqueror. Konqueror can be run by clicking the "home" shortcut. Konqueror is quite similar to Windows Explorer with an address bar at the top to display the current location on the hard drive, a tree view list on the left to expand and navigate around your hard drive and a results pane on the right showing the contents of the current folder. What is different as you navigate around your hard drive are the names of the standard folders. The list below explains some of the more common standard folders:

Windows	Linux
C:\ (hard drive)	/mnt/hda1
D:\ (cdrom)	/mnt/cdrom
My Documents	/home
Program Files	/bin
Documents and Settings	/etc
System32\Drivers	/dev

Internet Explorer

Konqueror is the default web browser in KDE. Konqueror can be run by clicking K > Internet > Web Browser (Konqueror). Konqueror has the same basic features and  works in a very similar fashion to Internet Explorer. The webpage address is typed in the address bar at the top and the page is displayed in the main body of the program. Konqueror does have at least one feature that is not available in Internet Explorer - Tabbed browsing. Tabbed browsing enables you to have multiple web pages open in one program window. This is useful when searching the web for example as you can have the results page in one tab and open any pages you want to see in another tab. You can also compare and reference multiple pages at the same time. Another popular web browser called Firefox which is available for Windows and Linux also offers tabbed browsing.

Outlook/Outlook Express

The email program in KDE is KMail. KMail can be run by clicking K > Internet > Mail Client (KMail) KmMail offers all the key features of Outlook and Outlook Express and offers a similar layout onscreen with a folder view on the left, preview pane on the top right and message body on the bottom right. KMail can handle email in plain text and HTML and includes wizards to help set up anti-spam and anti-virus features within the application.

Office

KDE has its own office productivity suite called KOffice. KOffice can be run by clicking K > Office > Office Suite (KOffice Workspace). KOffice includes a word processing replacement for Word called KWord, an Excel spreadsheet equivalent called KSpread and a Powerpoint alternative called KPresenter. Another popular office productivity suite that is compatible with Office and available for Windows and Linux is OpenOffice.

Control Panel

KDE Control Center takes the place of Windows Control Panel for administering the computer. Run Control Center by clicking K > Settings > Control Center. From Control Center it is possible to configure the look of the desktop, set up an internet connection, create new logins and almost everything else to look after a computer.

DOS

DOS is the Microsoft tool for typing in text commands. In Linux the place users can type text commands is the "shell". This can be accessed by running Konsole (click K > System > Terminal Program( Konsole). Entering text commands can sometimes be the most efficient way of carrying out certain tasks.

This guide should get you started with KDE from Windows users perspective. For more detailed help you can read the official KDE userguide or documentation.