Most people can quickly get going with the Java Desktop System, knowing intuitively how to navigate the system and handle its windows. The habits you learned on other computers can usually guide you. But it helps to know the details of window, file, and application handling on JDS, so you can use the system more efficiently when performing complex tasks.
The basics of using a personal computer at home and at work include knowing how to:
Start and stop your system correctly
Initiate and terminate programs
Manage windows
Access system settings and preferences
Manage different users
Recognize and access files and folders
Let’s begin by getting acquainted with some terms you will use on a regular basis:
- Boot
Computer start-up, during which time the computer loads the operating system and the configuration files into memory.
- Authenticate
Prove your identity through your user name and password so that your computer or network can give you access to files and services.
- Log on
Enter your system or attach to a network.
- Ending a session
Closing a desktop session, without turning off the computer.
- Shutting down
Ending the operating system’s active state in such a way that all background programs close cleanly and data is saved prior to powering down the hardware.
- Terminal
A text window which allows one to communicate with the computer through simple commands.
- Directories
Collections of files. The terms folder and directory can be used interchangeably.
To start JDS, simply turn on your computer and monitor. If you use a dual-boot environment (See Appendix F.), select the JDS System from the Start menu. As your computer boots, JDS loads the files which it needs to run. Notice the JDS splash screen as the Linux kernel boots.
The information you can see during the boot process includes initializing and testing the hardware on your computer, and starting or stopping software that runs in the background. Few people care about the boot process. You can liken it to an automobile: you do not need to know what goes on under the hood to drive the car. Using your computer doesn’t require knowledge of what runs in the background. However, if you notice an error during boot, it can sometimes alert you to a problem you can fix: for instance, you may have forgotten to plug in your network cable if you notice error messages related to networking or remote file sharing.
After the operating system loads, you see a password dialog box asking for your user name and your password (see Figure 2-1). At this point, you are about to put JDS into gear. Once you enter your user name and password, the Java desktop appears, and it’s time to start working or playing.
With JDS you must enter your user name and password using the exact combination of upper- and lowercase letters that you specified during setup, or that your administrator provided.
Sometimes people do not want to bother entering a user name and password every time they start their computer. If you want to start your computer and have it log you in without the login screen, you can set up JDS in that manner.
However, you should usually keep the login screen for the sake of security. Automatic login presents risks, especially in a work environment, because anyone who has physical access to your computer (a member of the nighttime cleaning crew, for instance) can procure all your files. But if you work at home or are setting up a multiple-user kiosk setting, with only a temporary guest user account, you may want to use this option.
To start the computer without having to enter your user name and password upon bootup, click on the Launch menu at the bottom left of the JDS panel and follow the menu items Applications → System Tools → Administration → Login Screen Setup to reach the configuration screen, shown in Figure 2-2. (In the previous JDS Release I, the menu items are Applications → System Tools → Login Screen Setup.) Under the General tab in the center of the window appears the term Automatic Login. Click the checkbox next to the term “Login a user automatically on first bootup.” Finally, choose your user name from the drop-down box next to the term “Automatic login username” and close the box.
