Topics in this Chapter:

• Common Desktop Environments

• X Window Servers, and Window Managers

• E-Mail and Personal Information Management Clients

• Web Browsers

• Office Application Suites

• Running Windows applications on Linux

• Summary

• Solutions Fast Track

• Frequently Asked Questions

Introduction

When it comes to discussing Linux, many consultants and vendors focus on advantages that appeal to what we call the propeller head. The tech set focuses on selling points such as system stability, the possibility of enhanced security, and the fact that Linux can save companies money on licensing.

Most end users, however, are not very interested in these topics; they simply care about their desktop experience. Users state that they want a desktop that is intuitive and easy to understand. What they are implying, however, is that they want a desktop similar to what they already know. One of the things that Microsoft and Apple have done admirably is to convince end users that their interfaces have always intuitive and easy to use, even though these companies have changed these interfaces radically over the last 10 years.

Remember, your job will be to please the average end user. These end users will want to know how to access productivity applications once they have logged on. They will want to know how to locate files on the hard drive and open them with the proper application. They really tend to care very little about anything else.

So, in this chapter, you will learn about how to choose the proper desktop environment and...