Introduction: Hacks #10-20

Every Swiss Army knife comes with a diagram that lists the different tools of the knife and explains their function. At first, everything may seem clear, and you may believe you understand everything necessary about your new knife. But, as you use it, you realize that you don't really know why it has three different sized knife blades or what the different saws should be used for, and you find yourself wishing you had paid more attention to that diagram.

This chapter is that diagram for your Knoppix CD. The start of this chapter is particularly geared toward people who are new to the Linux desktop. This chapter explains some basics, such as what a KDE panel is and how to find applications to run. If you are already experienced with using a Linux desktop and programs, such as OpenOffice.org and Mozilla, you might want to skip ahead to the end of the chapter where I talk about connecting to the Internet [Hacks 17 and 19].

The first few hacks introduce you to the default Knoppix desktop environment and get you comfortable with the purpose of the different desktop items and the location of available programs.

Later in the chapter, hacks are devoted to different application categories—from office programs to Internet programs to games. These hacks cover the desktop tools Knoppix includes for these different categories and get you started using them.

Once you finish this chapter, you should be able to comfortably navigate through the Knoppix desktop, use all of the desktop applications Knoppix has, and connect to the Internet. At that point, you will be ready for the next few chapters, which cover specialized tools included with Knoppix and their more advanced uses. But for now, on to the desktop!