Tutorial: Getting Started On Your Linux Desktop

In order to start using your system you will usually have to perform what is known as a user login. This procedure is necessary to identify yourself to the system. The system allows multiple users to use it concurrently and so it has to be able to identify a user in order to grant them the necessary privileges and rights to use the system and applications. Each user upon successful login will be assigned to his home directory (folder).

Depending on how you have set up your system, you will either have a graphical login screen or a text-based login prompt for you to perform the login process.

Click to view screen shot Fig 1.1 Graphical Login Screen

Click to view screen shot gif 1.1 Text-based Login Prompt

To login, enter the username followed by the ENTER key and when the password prompt appears, enter the password followed by the ENTER key.

Some systems may have been set up so that upon power-on, a default user is logged in automatically. If this is so, then you will not be presented with a login screen or prompt as described in the section below.

Note:
There is a special user called the root or superuser (this user is usually created during the system installation) which has unlimited access and rights to all the system files and resources. You only need to login as root if certain system level administrative tasks are to be carried out. Otherwise there is usually no need for a normal user to login as root. This is to prevent accidentally damaging the system by deleting or modifying important system files.

---------------------------------------

You are reading
Tutorial: Getting Started On Your Linux Desktop
Table of Content
1. Logging In
2. Starting the Graphical Desktop
3. Using the Mouse on the Desktop
4. Main Components of the Desktop
5. Using the Window Manager
6. The Titlebar
7. Manipulating the Window
8. Logout and Shutdown

| Preface | Lists of Tutorials | Next Tutorial |