Appendix A. Moving from Windows to Linux

Contents

A.1. Starting Applications from the Main Menu
A.2. Managing Files
A.3. Using the Command Line
A.4. Customizing Your Desktop
A.5. Switching between Applications
A.6. Accessing Network Resources

If you are coming from Microsoft Windows, take a look at how familiar elements of Windows translate to openSUSE®. After logging in, you will notice that the desktop has a familiar layout and recognizable icons, many of them similar to the Windows and Macintosh desktops.

Figure A.1. GNOME Desktop

GNOME Desktop

A.1. Starting Applications from the Main Menu

Similar to the Start menu on Windows, you can access all the programs installed on your system from the main menu. To open the menu click Computer in the left corner of the panel. The function-oriented menu structure makes it easy to find the right application for your purpose even if you do not know the application names yet. Find more information about the main menu in Section 1.4, “Using the Main Menu”.

Figure A.2. Main Menu in GNOME

Main Menu in GNOME

Alternatively, you can also start programs from the command line. Click Computer+More Applications+System+Gnome Terminal to open a dialog where you can enter a command to start the application. The name of the command is often (but not always) the application name written in lowercase.


openSUSE GNOME User Guide 10.3