Part I. GNOME Desktop / Chapter 1. Getting Started with the GNOME Desktop
	Part I. GNOME Desktop		1.2. Logging Out

Getting Started with the GNOME Desktop

Contents

1.1. Logging in and Selecting a Desktop
1.2. Logging Out
1.3. Desktop Basics
1.4. Using the Main Menu
1.5. Managing Folders and Files with Nautilus
1.6. Accessing Network Resources
1.7. Accessing Floppy Disks, CDs, or DVDs
1.8. Finding Data on Your Computer or in the File System
1.9. Moving Text between Applications
1.10. Exploring the Internet
1.11. E-mail and Scheduling
1.12. Opening or Creating Documents with OpenOffice.org
1.13. Taking Screen Shots
1.14. Viewing PDF Files
1.15. Controlling Sound
1.16. Managing Software Packages and Updates
1.17. Other Useful Programs

This chapter assists you in becoming familiar with the conventions, layout, and common tasks of the GNOME desktop as implemented in SUSE® Linux Enterprise Desktop.

Logging in and Selecting a Desktop

When you start your system, you are prompted to enter your username and password. This is the username and password you created during installation. If you did not install the system, check with your system administrator for the username and password.

The login screen has the following items:

Login prompt: Enter your username and password to log in.
Language menu: Select a language for your session.
Session menu: Select the desktop to run during your session. If other desktops are installed, they appear in the list.
Reboot: Restarts the computer.
Shut Down: Shuts down the computer.

What Is a Session?

A session is the period of time from when you log in to when you log out. The login screen offers several login options. For example, you can select the language of your session so that text that appears in the interface is presented in that language.

After your username and password are authenticated, the Session Manager starts. The Session Manager lets you save certain settings for each session. It also lets you save the state of your most recent session and return to that session the next time you log in.

The Session Manager can save and restore the following settings:

Appearance and behavior settings, such as fonts, colors, and mouse settings.

Applications that you were running, such as a file manager or an OpenOffice.org program.

	Tip
You cannot save and restore applications that Session Manager does not manage. For example, if you start the vi editor from the command line in a terminal window, Session Manager cannot restore your editing session.

For information on configuring session preferences, see Section 2.5.8, “Managing Sessions”.

Switching Desktops

If you installed both the GNOME and the KDE desktops, use the following instructions to switch desktops.

Click Computer+Logout+Log Out.
In KDE, click the main menu button and select Log Out+End Current Session .
On the login screen, click Session.
Select the desktop you want ( GNOME or KDE), then click OK.
Type your username, then press Enter.
Type your password, then press Enter.

Locking Your Screen

To lock the screen, you can do either of the following:

Click Computer+Lock Screen.
If the Lock button is present on a panel, click it.
To add the Lock button to a panel, right-click the panel and then click Add to Panel+Lock Screen.

When you lock your screen, the screen saver starts. To lock your screen correctly, you must have a screen saver enabled. To unlock the screen, move your mouse to display the locked screen dialog. Enter your username and password, then press Enter.

For information on configuring your screen saver, see Section 2.3.5, “Configuring the Screen Saver”.