Desktop

[Guest]

Hello, I'm new to Linux and today I've come here for help regarding my desktop. I'm running the latest version of kubuntu, and for reason I can't do anything to the desktop. When I right-click the desktop it gives me options to run commands, activities, unlock widgets, lock screen, leave, and default desktop settings.

I can't make folders, txt files, ext on the desktop, and I can't drag things to the desktop. Any solution? The only folder I have on my desktop is Chris, which is my user.

[GerardV]

Hi Chris and welcome to the wonderful world of Linux and Kubuntu in particular.
I think the best place for you to start might be here: http://www.kubuntu.org/support
It is a very comprehensive handbook that will tell you all you want to know. The one thing to keep in mind is that it is not Microsoft and a lot of things are done differently.
But it is very easy to learn and you will get the hang of it.

Regards,
Gerard

[claydoh]

Hello Chris!

Kubuntu's KDE is a bit different in how the Desktop works. By default, it is a place for adding widgets and things, as opposed to a 'folder' such as it is in Windows.

You still should be able to drag most things there, where it will add a widget for it. You might need to right-click on the desktop and make sure that you have widgets unlocked.

If you want, you can easily switch it to a Classic 'folder view'. right-click on the desktop, select "Configure Desktop", and set the layout to Folder.

[Shabakthanai]

Or, you might want to spend a couple of days with the new Kmenu. I found that it works superior and faster than other methods, and you can keep your desktop clean of Icons and the such.

First to help me get used to a new kind of doing things I moved the panel to the top of the screen. This way I felt the impact of retraining my normal motions. It also made sense to me, because things drop down not up, so when you click on the Kmenu Icon your menu drops down.

Additionally, I am right handed and my mouse spends more time on the right side of the screen, so I moved the Kmenu Icon to the right side of the screen. Then I noticed that sometimes when I need to engage Kmenu, I am in other points of the screen, so I put a Kickoff, which is the Kmenu, in the center top of the screen and another on the left of the default panel. Now whatever I am doing I am very close to my menu of applications.

I don't use the Classic Kmenu, because too many entries to read make getting where you want to be slow. By using the new Kmenu option, I put all the programs or applications that I use daily on the Favorites menu. Programs that I only use occasionally are in their easily findable location it the library, and you are not required to read over them to get to the program you often use.

Your Favorites menu will probably consist of 6 to 10 applications that you use all the time. A couple of Browsers, perhaps, mail, system settings, a package manager, a shell, and most important, your file manager, in my case Dolphin, and an application or two that apply to your personal interests and work. You don't have to filter through the leaves of the tree that presents itself in Classic Menu.

I also have my panel hide when not in use, again to not clutter the desktop. When I need something from it, I put my cursor top-screen and it appears. Another thing I do is make the order of items on my Favorites library in the order I use them.

If you check your mail frequently, you may want it in the first position. Or your browser or file manager, etc. The things you do most are always closest to get to and you don't have to spend any time, even a glance to look over the applications not needed at the moment. It is very fast.

Dolphin is the best file manager I have ever used. When it opens, you virtually can get where you want to be very fast. The first folders listed are a generalization of all the things you do when you operate a computer. "Downloads" contains all the stuff you have downloaded and wanted to retain. Desktop could be a place where you put all the things you kept on your Windows machine screen, or whatever you want there to make finding what you want easier. "Photos" pretty self explanatory on the generalizations, but a nice way to find the things you are looking for. Documents, Music, whatever.

I put widgets on my desktop, things I use all the time. There is an analog clock that can be adjusted to fill the screen if you want, with hundreds of aesthetic variations. I have a widget that keeps me appraised of the size or lack thereof of my drives and partitions. I also have a weather widget and a download widget. The download widget lets me know the speed of upload and download of each segment of a download. It will indicate as few as 1Kib per second or as many as your ISP will send. In my case it is about 2500KiB/s.

The monitor self adjusts to make easy the ability to follow up and download speeds, and also provides an actual speed, written in numbers at all times. It is a nifty widget.

I have a pretty fast computer, yet I am held to the speed of the sender, so if I see a download that is going to take a while, I can put my attention of more useful matters. Here is a screenprint of my current Desktop, so you can see what I mean about uncluttered with irrelevancy. I use what is there all the time, when near my computer:



I have found that if you embrace the newer technology provided by Kubuntu, you will be glad you did. When I have to use my Win7 app for the few things Windows offers that Kubuntu yet doesn't, in moments I feel like the dragging of fingernails on a blackboard. Just creeeepy.

My 35Ghz processor, thats an 8-core at 4300Ghz is slowed by Windows at times. Haven't noticed it happen in Kubuntu unless something is broken.

Shutting down Windows takes several seconds, even minutes when updates are involved. Kubuntu usually does the same in a small part of the first second and when restarting for core changes, perhaps at most 10 seconds, and you are back on-screen and working. When you want a specific folder, Kmenu>Dolphin>"folder", that's 3 clicks and it is located and on your screen in about 2 seconds. That is for real too.

The desktop and aesthetics are a specialty of mine. Send a private message from your profile if you want more aggressive help.

Hello Chris!

Kubuntu's KDE is a bit different in how the Desktop works. By default, it is a place for adding widgets and things, as opposed to a 'folder' such as it is in Windows.

You still should be able to drag most things there, where it will add a widget for it. You might need to right-click on the desktop and make sure that you have widgets unlocked.

If you want, you can easily switch it to a Classic 'folder view'. right-click on the desktop, select "Configure Desktop", and set the layout to Folder.