Explore KDE
The easy way,
using a live CDBy Carl Weisheit
Why did I use Kubuntu and KDE?
Using a live CD will let you explore the KDE GUI without installing or altering anything on your system
KDE is one of the two most popular GUIs used in Linux. (other is GNOME)
KDE is a complete desktop environment, it uses Kwin as its default window manager
KDE has a huge number of features, and whole suites of applications designed to integrate with it.
Kubuntu is a live cd of the Ubuntu distro using the KDE interface Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux Distro at this time* and
comes pre-installed on major brands such as Dell Computers
* #1 on Distro Watch
Desktop Features
Desktop background
K menu button
KDE's panel (also known as kicker) allows small programs,
called "applets", to be embedded.
Mounted drive icon
To select fromMultiple desktops
Commonly usedplaces in computer
Time and date
trashcan
Get info by rollingmouse over item
Left click icon to open default file manager (Dolphin)
to view mounted and unmounted drives and partitions
Select storage media
Mounted indicator
Unmounted partition
Right click and select “Actions/Mount” to mount drive
Right click and select “Actions/Unmount” to unmount drive
Right click and select “Properties”to view drive properties
Viewing each tab of properties
Open menu and select LOG OUT
To reboot or shutdown
Run command lets you launch applications by name
System settings allow you to configure your system
To set your Default applicationsand file associations
Background, screensaverand appearance settings
Computer administrationDate / time
Monitor settings
Keyboard shortcuts
Computer administration
sound
Users and group settings
Printer setup
Network and connectivity
Network settings
File sharing properties
Computer administration “advanced tab”
“Stringi” is a file searching utility
The KDE help center provides user manuals and info on many
applications and features
This is a basic package manager
Use it to install Synaptic package
manager
Useful utilities, some of which are also found under “system settings”
How to open a terminalwithout leaving the GUI
The KDE info center provides hardware information
Example info from KDE info center
memoryPCI info
CPU info Sound info
Kde system monitor:for system performance
Kde system monitor:processes and system loads
Office applications
Multimedia applications
Internet applications
Graphics applications
right click on backgroundto sort icons
right click on backgroundto change desktop settings
Go quickly to common places from the icon in the KDE Panel
Konqueror has many uses from browsing the web to exploring your files to searching your local network for
shared folders
Click icon in panel
Right click panel to configure it or add or remove applications
Speaker icon brings volumecontrol or mixer panel
Speaker icon
Right click network icon to configure network settings
Network icon
Right click clock to set time or date
clock
KDE Keyboard shortcuts Ctrl – Esc = List of running applications Ctrl – B = Add Bookmark Ctrl – P = Print Page Ctrl - N = New Ctrl – O = Open Ctrl – W =Close Ctrl – Z = Undo Ctrl – C = Copy Ctrl – F = Find Ctrl – V = Paste Ctrl – R = Replace Ctrl – S = Save Ctrl – E = Text Completion Ctrl – A = Select All Ctrl – Q = Quit Ctrl - Home = Home Ctrl - Insert = Insert Ctrl - End = End Ctrl - Down = Next item Ctrl - Up = Previous Item Ctrl - Plus (+) = Zoom In Ctrl - Minus (-) = Zoom Out Ctrl - Tab = Switch forward one desktop Ctrl – Shift -Tab = Switch back one desktop
Ctrl – Shift - Z = Redo Ctrl - F3 = Find Prev Ctrl - F1 to F12 = Switch to Desktop 1 – 12 Shift-Ctrl-F1 to F4 = Switch to Desktop 13 to 16 Ctrl- Alt-L = Lock desktop Ctrl- Alt-D = Show / Hide desktop Ctrl-Alt-Esc = Kill Window (Click on the window to
action the kill.) Ctrl-Alt-Delete = Logout (To complete logout process,
Tab & Enter) Shift - F1= What's this F1 = Help Alt - F1 = Popup KDE launch menu F2 = rename file Alt - F2 = Execute Command F3 = Find Next Alt - F3 = Window open menu Alt - F4 = Window close Down Next Item in List F5 = Reload F11 = Switch fullscreen / normal size F12 = Toggle cursor key mouse emulation Alt – Tab = Switch forward among windows Alt-Shift-Tab = Switch backward among windows
Interesting configurations; XP look alike fromhttp://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php?content=1499&forumpage=17
Interesting configurations; Vista look alike fromhttp://www.ubuntu.sun.ac.za/wiki/index.php/KDE-XP-LookAlike
THE END
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