Linux Term Overview

General Vocabulary
rc   : 'Run Commands' or 'runcom' - a file that contains startup information for a command etc  : 'et cetera' - directory for system-wide configuration files usr  : 'user' - secondary hierarcy for user data var  : variable files sbin : essential system binaries ls   : 'list segments' - the command originated from the OS Multics where files were calledsegments

X display manager

 * a program, allowing starting a session on an X server from the same or another computer. Presents the user with a login screen.
 * Examples: XDM, GDM (Gnome)

Widget Toolkit

 * Examples:
 * Windows Examples: Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC)
 * Cross-platform: wxWidgets, GIMP ToolKit (GTK+), Qt, Tk
 * Low-level widget toolkits: The X Window System, Windows API

Desktop Environment (DE)
In graphical computing, a desktop environment (DE, sometimes desktop manager) offers a graphical user interface (GUI) solution to operate a computer. The name is derived from the desktop metaphor used by most of these interfaces, as opposed to the earlier, textual command line interfaces. A DE typically provides icons, folders, toolbars, applications, applets, wallpapers and abilities like drag and drop. As a whole, the particularities of design and function of a desktop environment endow it with a distinctive look and feel.

On systems running the X Window System (typically Unix-like systems), the desktop environment is much more flexible. In this context, a DE typically consists of a window manager, a set of themes, and programs and libraries for managing the desktop. All of these individual modules can be exchanged and individually configured to achieve a unique combination, but most desktop environments provide a default configuration that requires minimal user input.


 * Examples: GNOME, K Desktop Environment (KDE), Mac OS X, Windows XP, Xfce

Shell
a shell is a piece of software that essentially provides a kind of interface for end-users. Typically, the term refers to an operating system shell which provides access to the services of a kernel.

Operating system shells generally fall into one of two categories: command line and graphical. Command line shells provide a command line interface (CLI) to the operating system, while graphical shells provide a graphical user interface (GUI).

File Manager
A file manager is a computer program that provides a user interface to work with file systems. They are very useful for speeding up interaction with files. The most common operations on files are create, open, edit, view, print, play, rename, move, copy, delete, attributes, properties, search/find, and permissions.
 * Examples:
 * Windows: Total Commander, Windows Explorer
 * Linux: Nautilus, Konquerer, Midnight Commander

Multimedia Framework
A multimedia framework is a software structure (usually a set of software libraries) that handles media on a computer and through a network. A good multimedia framework offers an intuitive API and a modular architecture to easily add support for new codecs or container formats. It is meant to be used by applications such as media players and audio or video editors.
 * Examples:
 * Linux: GStreamer, Xine
 * Windows: DirectShow

X window manager
An X window manager is software that controls the placement and appearance of windows under the X Window System, a graphical user interface mainly used on Unix-like systems.
 * Examples: Metacity (GNOME), Kwin (KDE), Ion, Sawfish, Xfwm

X Server
An X server program runs on a computer with a graphical display and communicates with various client programs. The server accepts requests for graphical output (windows) and sends back user input (keyboard, mouse).