Linux (non Related Web Hosting Question Sorry)

[Kaula]

Hi,

 

I'm learning linux and bits of unix, as I go and I've come across something that I have not been able to find an answer too. To those that know me I'm an isp tech and last week I had a call that I wasnt able to answer concerning linux. I've never used linux or unix before. The question was was if the login screen (take for example fedora) ... if it is considered an xwindow. Out of curiosity I installed fedora and when changing dekstops, between gnome and kde I recieved the message "please log out of xwindows before the change will take effect" (might be off im going off memory)

 

Now I guess this curiosity has gotten the best of me, because I'm still confused about the difference between the "session" login and changing the desktop from using the "desktop switching tool".

 

I know this is a very very basic question but any help would be appreciated. Ive, never used linux before. The question is if the initial login screen to linux, is that a xwindow?

 

[Kaula]

and a commercial just came on that said ants can live for up to 14 days underwater which is alot more worrrysome than my previous post, help!

[borfast]

Hi kaula.

 

A bit of clarification: X (or as some people call it, XWindows) is the standard graphical interface for Linux (and other Unix based systems). It's rather safe to say that as long as you have a graphical display in front of you, then you're using X - there are exceptions, of course but as a general rule, this is true.

 

Now about the login screen... it depends. If you're talking about a graphical login screen, then yes, you're using X. If you're talking about the console based login, then no, that's not X, it's... well, the console

 

Now for the technical part of the question: if the login screen is considered an x window. I'm not sure what you (or the person who asked you this) mean by this.

If you simply want to know if that's X (the graphical environment), then, as I already said, yes, it is.

On the other hand, if you want to know if that's an X window as in a window "object", the code entity that represents X's windows, I don't know the answer, since I never programmed for X.

[Kaula]

Hey thanks, that answered my question perfectly.

 

I was using the desktop changing utility in Redhat/Fedora and it kept asking me to log out of the "x windows system" before it would take effect. When I would log out of my gnome to switch to kde, it would bring me to my graphical user login.

 

http://www.linuxelectrons.com/images/fc1_review/gdm-shot.png

Is my login screen, I cant find a place to log out of it, to even get to a boot screen.

 

So I guess when I switch from now on I'll be rebooting

 

 

 

(wasnt sure if I should copy and host that image or just link to it, do you guys have a preference on these forums?)

[schussat]

I was using the desktop changing utility in Redhat/Fedora and it kept asking me to log out of the "x windows system" before it would take effect. When I would log out of my gnome to switch to kde, it would bring me to my graphical user login.

 

http://www.linuxelectrons.com/images/fc1_review/gdm-shot.png

Is my login screen, I cant find a place to log out of it, to even get to a boot screen.

 

So I guess when I switch from now on I'll be rebooting 

That does sound reasonable, but actually in this context I don't think you need to reboot. I think that when you log out of Gnome or KDE (and whatever window manager you're using), your display manager will restart X. Give it a try -- you should be able to switch window managers and desktop environments without every needing to reboot. At worst, you should be able to CTRL--ALT-backspace (not delete!) at the display manager login to manually restart X.

[borfast]

schussat is right. Logging out of Gnome/KDE should be enough to switch the desktop environments.