Linux academy: Part five - Get more from Linux

This series has covered the essentials of installing Mandriva Linux and putting it to work.

This final instalment covers connecting devices such as printers and scanners, exploring advanced features such as the 3D desktop, having fun with games, and customising Linux.

Customise Mandriva
Mandriva Free is highly customisable. Many users will want to adjust the appearance of the desktop and other aspects of the system. This is done from the KDE Control Centre. On the KMenu choose System then Configuration. This is distinct from the ‘Configure your computer’ shortcut which takes you to the Mandriva Linux Control Center, for system-wide settings.

By contrast, most of the settings in the KDE Control Centre are ‘per-user’. If there are several different users defined, each one can have different settings. The Control Centre is split into several sections, the first of which is Appearance and Themes. A theme is a collection of saved settings that can be applied together.

The number of options can be overwhelming, so it often makes sense to start with a theme that is at least close to what you want. Some of the key settings are the desktop background, window colours, fonts, the selection and size of icons, and the style of widgets such as tabs and buttons.

The Control Centre also lets users set the number of desktops. When your desktop gets cluttered, click a second desktop to open a new work area. The other applications are still running, and you can return to them at any time by reselecting the desktop they are on.

The taskbar is shared by all the desktops, so you can switch desktops by clicking on another desktop’s application in the taskbar. Don’t open too many applications at once as it may affect performance.

Reset your profile
It’s possible to end up with a broken configuration, either from unwise choices or perhaps bugs in Mandriva Linux. If the KDE desktop crashes, press Ctrl and Alt and Backspace simultaneously to force it to close. From the command line, you can restart the graphical user interface by typing startx and then pressing Enter.

As a last resort, the profile can be reset using the command line, as explained in previous articles. From the command line, switch to your home directory, and remove or rename the hidden directories called .kde and .kderc. The following commands will do it: cd /home/username takes you to your home directory. Put your user name in where ‘username’ is written above. mv .kde .kdebak moves and renames .kde files. mv .kderc .kdercbak moves and renames .kderc files.

Going three dimensional
The 3D desktop is an impressive feature of Mandriva Linux. The most eye-catching feature is cube rotation. Mandriva’s multiple desktops are no longer accessed by clicking a square in the toolbar. Instead, press Ctrl and Alt and Right (or Left) Arrow, to rotate a virtual cube. Each desktop is on a different face of the cube. Other features include windows that wobble when you move them, zoom in or out, and translucent windows that can be faded out of view.