An Overview of
This section is for users who prefer to learn by exploring and want only a brief orientation to get started. Later sections provide a more thorough introduction to the environment, with helpful hints and shortcuts. If you are impatient to get started, skim this section, go play for a bit, then come back and peruse the other sections of this guide as needed.
provides a highly configurable desktop environment. This overview assumes that you are using the default environment.

The Desktop
A typical desktop consists of several parts:
A panel at the bottom of the screen, used to start applications and switch between desktops. Among other things, it contains the , a large which displays a menu of applications to start when clicked.
A taskbar, by default embedded in the panel, used to switch between and manage currently running applications. Click on an application on the taskbar to zip to the application.
The desktop itself, on which frequently used files and folders may be placed. provides multiple desktops, each of which has its own windows. Click on the numbered buttons on the panel to switch between desktops.

Ready, Set, Go!
Here are a few quick tips to get you up and running.
To start an application, click on the button on the panel (called the Using the and the Panel) and choose an item from the menu.
Click the icon that looks like a folder with a picture of a house on the panel to access the files in your home directory using , 's File Manager utility.
Choose K menu System Terminal to get a command prompt, or press F2 to get a mini command prompt window to execute a single command.
Choose the KDE Control Center item on to configure .
Press Tab to switch between applications and Tab to switch between desktops using the keyboard.
Use the mouse button to access context menus for the panel, desktop, and most applications.