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- The Ubuntu Desktop
- Understanding the Ubuntu desktop
- Initially, you may notice many similarities between Ubuntu and other operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows or Apple os x. This is because
- they are all based on the concept of a graphical user interface (gui) — i.e., you use your mouse to navigate the desktop, open applications, move files,
- and perform most other tasks. In short, things are visually-oriented. This
- chapter is designed to help you become familiar with various applications
- and menus in Ubuntu so that you become confident in using the Ubuntu
- gui.
- Unity
- All gui-based operating systems use a desktop environment. Desktop environments contain many features, including (but not limited to):
- ‣The look and feel of the system
- ‣The organization of the desktop
- ‣How the user navigates the desktop
- In Linux distributions (such as Ubuntu), a number of desktop environments are available. Ubuntu uses Unity as the default desktop environment.
- After installing and logging into Ubuntu, you will see the Unity desktop.
- The Unity desktop is comprised of the desktop background and two bars — a horizontal one located at the top of your desktop called the menu bar and a vertically-oriented bar at the far left called the Launcher.
- The Desktop Background
- Below the menu bar at the top of the screen is an image covering the entire
- desktop. This is the default desktop background, or wallpaper, belonging to
- the default Ubuntu 14.04 theme known as Ambiance.
- To learn more about customizing your desktop (including changing your desktop background), see the section on Customizing your desktop below.
- The Menu Bar
- The menu bar incorporates common functions used in Ubuntu. The icons on
- the far-right of the menu bar are located in an area of the menu bar called
- the indicator area, or notification area. Each installation of Ubuntu may
- contain slightly different types and quantities of icons based on a number of
- factors, including the type of hardware and available on-board peripherals
- upon which the Ubuntu installation is based. Some programs add an icon
- to the indicator area automatically during installation. The most common
- indicators are:
- Text entry settings allows you to select a keyboard layout, if more than
- one keyboard layout is chosen.
- Network indicator manages network connections, allowing you to
- connect quickly and easily to a wired or wireless network.
- Sound indicator provides an easy way to adjust the sound volume as
- well as access your music player and sound settings.
- Clock displays the current time and provides a link to your calendar and
- time and date settings.
- Session indicator is a link to the system settings, Ubuntu Help, and
- session options (like locking your computer, user/guest session, logging
- out of a session, restarting the computer, or shutting down completely).
- Every application has a menuing system where different actions can be
- executed in an application (like File, Edit, View, etc.); the menuing system
- for an application is appropriately called the application menu. By default
- in Unity, the application menu isn’t on the title bar of the application as
- is commonly the case in other gui environments. Instead, it is located to
- the left area of the menu bar. To show an application’s menu, just move
- your mouse to the desktop’s menu bar (at the top of the screen). While your
- mouse is positioned here, the active application’s menu options will appear
- in the desktop’s menu bar, allowing you to use the application’s menuing
- options. When clicking on the desktop, the desktop’s menu bar reappears.
- This capability in Unity to display the application’s menu only when needed
- is especially beneficial for netbook and laptop users with limited viewable
- screen space. Apple uses a similar approach in os x where all application
- menus appear on a bar at the top of the screen. It differs, however, in that
- the menus in Ubuntu appear only when the mouse is over the desktop’s
- menu bar.
- Note that Unity now has locally integrated menus. Locally integrated
- menus are displayed in the title bar of unmaximized windows, instead of
- the top panel. As the default Unity menu, locally integrated menus are
- displayed on mouse over and there’s no option to make the menus permanently visible.
- The Launcher
- The vertical bar of icons on the left side of the desktop is called the Launcher.
- The Launcher provides easy access to applications, mounted devices, and the Trash. All running applications on your system will place an icon in the
- Launcher while the application is running.
- The first icon at the top of the Launcher is the Dash (like Dashboard), a component of
- Unity. We will explore the Dash in a later section of this chapter. By default,
- other applications appear in the Launcher, including the Files file manager,
- LibreOffice, Firefox, any mounted devices, and the Trash, which contains
- deleted folders and files, at the bottom of the Launcher.
- Holding the Super key, also known as the Windows key (Win key),
- located between the left Ctrl key and Alt key, will cause Ubuntu to super-
- impose a number onto the first ten applications in the Launcher and also
- display a screen full of useful shortcuts. You can launch an application with
- a number n on it by typing Super+n.
- If you open more applications than can be shown in the Launcher, the
- Launcher will “fold” the application icons at the bottom of the Launcher.
- Simply move your mouse to the bottom of the Launcher, and you’ll see
- the Launcher icons “slide” and the folded application icons unfold for easy
- access.
- Running applications
- To run an application from the Launcher (or cause an already-running
- application to appear), just click on the application’s icon.
- Applications that are currently running will have one or more triangles
- on the left side of the icon indicating the number of application windows
- open for this application. Running applications also have a back-lit icon on
- the Launcher.
- The application in the foreground (i.e., the application that is on top of all
- other open application windows) is indicated by a single white triangle on
- the right side of its icon.
- You can also run an application through the Dash which will be explored
- in the upcoming The Dash section.
- The Dash
- The Dash helps you quickly find applications and files on your computer.
- If you’ve used Windows in the past, you’ll find the Dash to be similar to
- the Windows Start menu or the Start Screen in Windows 8. Apple os x
- users will find the Dash similar to Launchpad in the dock. If you’ve used a
- previous version of Ubuntu or another gnome Linux distribution, the Dash
- serves as a replacement for the various gnome 2 menus. The Dash allows
- you to search for information, both locally (installed applications, recent
- files, bookmarks, etc.) as well as remotely (Twitter, Google Docs, etc.).
- To explore the Dash, click on the top-most icon on the Launcher; the
- icon contains the Ubuntu logo on it. After clicking the Dash icon, the desk-
- top will be overlaid by a translucent window with a search bar on top as
- well as a grouping of recently accessed applications, files, and downloads.
- Ubuntu also includes results from popular web services. The search bar
- provides dynamic results as you enter your search terms.
- Workspaces
- Workspaces are also known as virtual desktops. These separate views of
- your desktop allow you to group applications together, and by doing so,
- help to reduce clutter and improve desktop navigation. For example, you
- can open all of your media applications in one workspace, your office suite
- in another, and your web browser in a third workspace. Ubuntu has four
- workspaces by default.
- Moving and resizing windows
- To move a window around the workspace, place the mouse pointer over the
- window’s title bar, then click and drag the window while continuing to hold
- down the left mouse button. You can also move a window by holding the Alt
- key and then clicking and holding the left mouse button while pointing
- anywhere in the window and dragging the window to a new location. To
- resize a window, place the pointer on an edge or corner of the window so
- that the pointer turns into a larger, two-sided arrow (known as the resize
- icon). You can then click and drag to resize the window.
- Window always on the top or on visible workspace
- At times, you may want to force a window to always be in the foreground
- so that it can be seen or monitored while you work with other applications.
- For example, you may want to browse the web and, at the same time, view
- and answer incoming instant message. To keep a window always in the
- foreground, right-click on the window’s title bar, then select
- Always On Top. This window will now be on the top of all windows opened in the
- current workspace. If you want to have a window always on the top regardless of the workspace, right-click on the window’s title bar, then select
- Always on Visible Workspace. This window will now be on top of all other windows across all workspaces.
- Customizing your desktop
- One of the advantages to a windowed environment through Unity is the
- ability to change the look and feel of your desktop. Don’t like the default
- Ubuntu theme? Do you have a picture of your cousin’s aunt’s uncle’s pet chihuahua that you’d love to see on your desktop as wallpaper? All of this (and more) is possible through desktop customizations in
- Unity. Most customizations can be reached via the Session Indicator and
- then selecting System Settings to open the System Settings application window. The Dash, desktop appearance, themes, wallpapers, and
- other settings are available here.
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