# Knowing Knoppix/Alternatives to KDE

# Alternatives to KDE

Knoppix has six alternative *desktop managers*. These let you run the X
Window System on a computer that doesn\'t have enough RAM for KDE. They
also save loading time, because they load much more quickly.

## Ice Window Manager

A small and fast window manager in the Microsoft Windows style.

```{=html}
<div align="left">
```
!Ice Window Manager
screenshot.png "Ice Window Manager screenshot"){width="524"}

```{=html}
</div>
```
## Window Maker

A simple and elegant window manager with a very solid feel.

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<div align="left">
```
!Window Maker Window Manager
screenshot.png "Window Maker Window Manager screenshot"){width="524"}

```{=html}
</div>
```
## Fluxbox

Similar in style to Window Maker.

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<div align="left">
```
!Fluxbox Window Manager
screenshot.png "Fluxbox Window Manager screenshot"){width="524"}

```{=html}
</div>
```
## Xfce

Xfce stands for "The Cholesterol Free Desktop Environment".

```{=html}
<div align="left">
```
!Xfce Desktop Environment
screenshot.png "Xfce Desktop Environment screenshot"){width="524"}

```{=html}
</div>
```
## Lars Window Manager

An alternative window manager. In Lars Window Manager, almost everything
is done with the keyboard instead of the mouse. Lars Window Manager is
designed for programmers that spend most of their time working with
text.

```{=html}
<div align="left">
```
!Lars Window Manager
screenshot.png "Lars Window Manager screenshot"){width="524"}

```{=html}
</div>
```
## Tab Window Manager

!Tab Window Manager
screenshot.png "Tab Window Manager screenshot"){width="524"}

:   *See also: Guide to X11/Window
    Managers/twm*

TWM is designed to use as little RAM as possible. If you start Knoppix
on a computer without enough RAM to run KDE, it will run Tab Window
Manager instead.

In **Knoppix 5.0.1**, the twm menu is missing, but a command line
(console) window does start. With a capable computer (at least 256 Mb
RAM), the easiest shortcut to an app launcher is KDE\'s Kicker. Invoke
it like this:

`$ `**`kicker &`**

\^ The dollar sign `$` is the default sign of the command line; the
ampersand `&` serves to separate Kicker from the console to free it up
for other uses. The screenshot to the right shows the same method with
The GIMP.

TWM does not appear to be included in CD versions of Knoppix 6.0 or
later, as these have solely defaulted to LXDE. That won\'t run with any
efficiency in computers that have less than 256 Mb of RAM memory.


# Starting an alternative window manager

once knoppix has loaded you can go through the configuration options, to
switch between various window manager(except beryl).

Use one of these commands at the boot prompt.

`knoppix desktop=icewm          # IceWM`\
`knoppix desktop=wmaker         # Window Maker`\
`knoppix desktop=fluxbox        # Fluxbox`\
`knoppix desktop=xfce           # Xfce`\
`knoppix desktop=larswm         # Lars Window Manager`\
`knoppix desktop=twm            # Tab Window Manager`\
`knoppix desktop=beryl          # Beryl with kde`

For example, to start Window Maker in the UK locale:

`knoppix desktop=wmaker lang=uk `

## Accessing disks and partitions while outside KDE

You may have noticed there are no desktop disk icons when you are using
an alternative to KDE. Luckily, you can still use KDE\'s disk management
tools, even when you are outside KDE. For example:

1.  Start Knoppix into Window Maker.
2.  Click the "*XTerm*" icon, which is on the right hand side, second
    from the top. Enter this command:\
    `kdf`
3.  Wait while "*KDiskFree*" starts.
4.  Right-click the icon of the disk or partition you want. Click
    "Mount". Right-click the icon again, then "Open in file manager".\
    ![](Knowing_Knoppix_(Accessing_disks_and_partitions_while_outside_of_KDE_1).png "Knowing_Knoppix_(Accessing_disks_and_partitions_while_outside_of_KDE_1).png"){width="691"}
5.  The files on the disk or partition will be displayed.

**`Important:`**` KDiskFree mounts in `**`read-write`**` mode, not read-only.`

## Text mode

Text mode is the fastest way to start Knoppix. Text mode is meant for
those who are familiar with the UNIX command line interface. There are
many excellent books on the subject, such as "Sams Teach Yourself UNIX
in 24 Hours".

### Starting

To start Knoppix in text mode, enter this at the boot prompt.

`knoppix 2`

For example, to start with UK keyboard/language, with DMA for faster
hard disk access, and without PCMCIA because you\'re not working on a
laptop computer, enter:

`knoppix lang=uk dma nopcmcia 2`

### Leaving

Enter this command to exit Knoppix:

`halt`

### Localisation

Text mode is called "runlevel 2". When started in text mode, *Knoppix*
uses the "C" locale. The C locale is defined as the "default" locale for
applications, meaning that their strings are displayed as written in the
initial code, without passing through a translation lookup. Just plain
old ASCII. Literally, the "C" locale turns off localisation.

To enable localisation, specify the locale that you want to use with the
"lang=" option. For example, enter this at the boot prompt to load
Knoppix in text mode with the UK regional settings:

`knoppix 2 lang=uk`

### Adjusting the keyboard layout

To switch to a UK keyboard layout, type this and press Enter:

`loadkeys`` uk`

The keyboard map will be changed to UK layout.

### Accessing disks and partitions

Use the "mount" command. For example, to mount the first partition on
the primary master IDE hard drive:

`cd /mnt`\
`mount` "wikilink")` hda1`

The files on the device `/dev/hda1` will be mounted to `/mnt/hda1`. To
view the files on the partition:

`cd hda1`\
`ls`

The files will be displayed. To learn more about navigating and copying
files in text mode, refer to a UNIX manual or text book.

**`Important`**\
`Disks and partitions are mounted `**`read-write`**` by the mount command.`

### Identifying hardware

Use these commands to get hardware information:

  Command                       Shows
  ----------------------------- ------------------------------
  lspci   PCI devices
  lsusb   USB devices
  `cat /proc/cpuinfo`           Processor information
  `cat /proc/meminfo`           Random Access Memory details
  `cat /proc/scsi/scsi`         SCSI device information
  dmesg   Kernel messages

**`Tip`**\
`Press Shift + Page Up to see the lines that have scrolled off the top of the screen.`\
`Press Shift + Page Down to go back down again.`

