The Linux command line is a powerful environment in which to execute your programs, but it is also complex. It can be difficult to perform such basic tasks as finding files, listing active jobs, or even editing text. For this reason there are windowing systems available to make your system easier to work with.

A windowing system is a graphic user interface that takes over the functions of the command line. You can still perform all of the tasks in a windowing system that you can on the command line, but now you can actually see them running. It is also easier to switch between running programs, start new applications, and manage files and directories. There are several windowing systems available for Linux users. In this chapter we will discuss the K Desktop Environment (or KDE) windowing system.