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<!-- ############################# WHEELER'S INTRO ############################ -->
<chapter id="intro">
<title>An Introduction to GNOME</title>
<sect1 id="What-is-GNOME">
<title>What is GNOME</title>
<para>
GNOME is a user-friendly desktop environment that enables users to easily
use and configure their computers. GNOME includes a panel (for starting
applications and displaying status), a desktop (where data and applications
can be placed), a set of standard desktop tools and applications, and a set
of conventions that make it easy for applications to cooperate and be
consistent with each other. Users of other operating systems or
environments should feel right at home using the powerful graphics-driven
environment GNOME provides.
</para>
<para>
GNOME is completely open source (free software), with freely available
source code developed by hundreds of programmers around the world. If you
would like to learn more about the GNOME project please visit the <ulink
url="http://www.gnome.org" type="http">GNOME web site</ulink>.
</para>
<para>
GNOME has a number of advantages for users. GNOME makes it easy to use and
configure applications using a simple yet powerful graphical interface.
</para>
<para>
GNOME is highly configurable, enabling you to set your desktop the way you
want it to look and feel. GNOME's session manager remembers previous
settings, so once you've set things the way you like they'll stay that
way. GNOME supports many human languages, and you can add more without
changing the software. GNOME even supports several Drag and Drop protocols
for maximum interoperability with applications that aren't GNOME-compliant.
</para>
<para>
GNOME also has a number of advantages for developers, which indirectly also
help users. Developers don't need to purchase an expensive software license
to make their commercial application GNOME compliant. In fact, GNOME is
vendor neutral - no component of the interface is controlled solely by one
company or restricted from modification and redistribution. GNOME
applications can be developed in a variety of computer languages, so you're
not stuck with a single language. GNOME uses the Common Object Request
Broker Architecture (CORBA) to allow software components to inter-operate
seamlessly, regardless of the computer language in which they are
implemented, or even what machine they are running on. Finally, GNOME runs
on a number of Unix-like operating systems, including Linux.
</para>
<para>
GNOME is an acronym for the GNU Network Object Model Environment, so GNOME
is a part of the larger GNU project. The GNU Project started in 1984 to
develop a completely free Unix-like operating system. If you'd like to
learn more about the GNU project you can read about it at the <ulink
url="http://www.gnu.org" type="http">GNU Website</ulink>.
</para>
</sect1>
<sect1 id="aboutug">
<title>About This Guide</title>
<para>
This user's guide is designed to help you find your way around GNOME with
ease. Both new and experienced computer users can benefit from this guide.
If you're new to GNOME, or even computers, you'll gain an idea of how to use
your desktop. If you're an advanced computer user trying out GNOME, you can
work with expert tips, which will help you to become familiar with GNOME.
</para>
<para>
Although this was written originally in English, there are many translations
of the guide available now or in the near future. If you would like to have
this guide in another language you should check your operating system
distribution or visit the <ulink url="http://www.gnome.org" type="http">
GNOME Web Site</ulink> to find out more information on translation.
</para>
<para>
GNOME is rapidly developing, so some parts of this guide may be not up to
date; in these cases, please use on-line help in the application you are
having trouble with.
</para>
<para>
This manual was written by Dave Mason (<email>dcm@redhat.com</email>),
Chris Lyttle (<email>chris@wilddev.net</email>) and Alexander Kirillov
(<email>kirillov@math.sunsyb.edu</email>) with some help from other members
of Gnome Documentation Project. Please send all comments and
suggestions regarding this manual to the <ulink type="http"
url="http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gdp/">Gnome Documentation
Project</ulink> by sending an email to
<email>docs@gnome.org</email>. You can also add your comments
online by using the <ulink type="http"
url="http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gdp/doctable/">Gnome
Documentation Status Table</ulink>.
</para>
</sect1>
</chapter>
<!-- ###################### WHEELER'S QUICK START GUIDE #################### -->
<chapter id="quickstart">
<title>GNOME Quick Start</title>
<sect1 id="quick">
<title>A First Glance At GNOME</title>
<para>
<emphasis>Figure 1</emphasis> shows an example of GNOME running. GNOME is
very configurable, so your screen may look quite different.
</para>
<figure>
<title>Sample GNOME Display.</title>
<screenshot>
<screeninfo>Sample GNOME Display</screeninfo>
<Graphic Format="png" Fileref="./figures/full-desk" srccredit="wilddev">
</graphic>
</screenshot>
</figure>
<para>
<indexterm id="idx-a1">
<primary>Quick Start</primary>
</indexterm>
The long bar at the bottom of <emphasis>figure 1</emphasis> is a GNOME
Panel, which contains a collection of menus, useful panel applets, and
application launchers. The button containing the stylized foot is the
Main Menu button (the most common kind of menu); just click on the Main
Menu button and you'll see a menu of pre-loaded applications and options,
including a logout command. Panel applets are tiny programs designed to
be placed in a panel, for example, the the Desk Guide applet on the
far right shows 4 virtual desktops to place your applications.
Application launchers are buttons that, when
pressed, immediately start programs (including GNOME utilities and office
applications). In this example the toolbox button starts the GNOME
Control Center (for configuring your system), the question mark button
starts the GNOME Help browser (for viewing documentation), the display
starts the terminal (if you'd prefer to use a text interface), and the
world starts your web browser. The arrows on each
side of the panel hide (and unhide) the panel.
</para>
<para>
Outside of the Panel is the "Desktop". Just drag items from the panel on to
your desktop you use most often and you can double-click on an item (with the
left mouse button) to use it:
</para>
<itemizedlist mark="bullet">
<listitem>
<para>
If the item is a program, that program will start.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
If it's data, the appropriate program will start up with that data
loaded.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
If it's a folder, the Nautilus file manager will start and
show the
contents of that folder. Your desktop will probably have a folder icon
labeled "Home". Double-clicking on it will start the Nautilus file manager
at your home directory.
</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
<para>
The Nautilus file manager lets you manipulate your files.
The left side of its window shows the current folder with tabs for Help,
History and Notes, and the right side shows the current folder's contents:
</para>
<itemizedlist mark="bullet">
<listitem>
<para>
To move the file or folder, just drag and drop it.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
To copy a file or folder, hold down the <keycap>CTRL</keycap> key while dragging.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
To run a program or edit a data file, double-click it.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
To perform other operations on a file (such as rename or delete), select it
using the right mouse button and then choose the operation you want. You
can also use this to select an application to open the file.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
To select more than one item at a time, click on the items after the first
one while holding down the <keycap>CTRL</keycap> key.
</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
<para>
You can easily move or copy files between folders by starting two file
manager applications, each one showing a different folder. If you want to
put a file on your desktop, simply drag it from the file manager onto the
desktop. In fact, dragging and dropping items onto other items generally
"does the right thing" in GNOME, making it easy to get work done.
</para>
<para>
GNOME is very configurable; for example, you can have multiple panels
(horizontal and vertical), choose what goes in them, and have them hide
automatically. There are many panel applets you can include in your panel.
You can also change how the screen looks; later portions of this document
tell you how.
</para>
<para>
GNOME follows several UNIX conventions you should be aware of. The left
mouse button is used to select and drag items. The right mouse button brings
up a menu for the selected object (if a menu applies). Most UNIX mice have 3
buttons, and the middle button is used to paste text (if in a text area) or
to move things. If you only have two buttons, press the left and right
buttons simultaneously to simulate the middle button. To copy text, use the
left button to drag across the text you want to copy, move the mouse cursor
to the place you want the text to be, and press the middle button (or mouse
wheel).
</para>
<para>
When an application window is displayed, there will be some buttons in
its borders for controlling the window. These include buttons to minimize,
maximize, and close the window. Their appearance can be configured and is
controlled by a component called the "Window Manager."
</para>
<para>
An example of border styles is the MicroGUI style (<emphasis>Figure
2</emphasis>) which is a window manager theme used in both Sawmill and
Enlightenment. You can read more about window managers in <xref
linkend="wm">.
</para>
<para>
In the MicroGUI border style, the down arrow means minimize, the up arrow means
maximize (use the whole screen), and the X button means close the window,
and the down triangle brings up the <guimenu>Window</guimenu> menu.
</para>
<figure>
<title>MicroGUI Border Style</title>
<screenshot>
<screeninfo>Clean Border Style</screeninfo>
<graphic format="png" fileref="./figures/border1" srccredit="dcm">
</graphic>
</screenshot>
</figure>
<para>
If you've never used a Unix or Linux system before, you might find the
overview in <link linkend="newbies">Appendix A</link> helpful as well.
</para>
<para>
The following sections go into more detail, describing each component of
the system: <link linkend="wm">the window manager</link>, <link
linkend="panel-chap">panel</link>, <link linkend="main-menu">main menu</link>,
<link linkend="desk">desktop</link>, <link linkend="nautilus">file
manager</link>, <link linkend="gnomecc">control center</link> and <link
linkend="gnome-applets">applets</link>.
</para>
</sect1>
</chapter>
|
