Download Red Hat Linux 9 Red Hat Linux Getting Started Guide

Chapter 1. Getting Started
7
Figure 1-9. The Graphical Desktop
1.5. Opening a Shell Prompt
The desktop offers access to a shell prompt, an application that allows you to type commands instead
of using a graphical interface for all computing activities. While the Red Hat Linux Getting Started
Guide primarily focuses on performing tasks using the graphical interface and graphical tools, it is
sometimes useful and faster to perform tasks from a shell prompt. Refer to Chapter 13 Shell Prompt
Basics for further details.
You can open a shell prompt by selecting Main Menu => System Tools => Terminal.
You can also start a shell prompt by right-clicking on the desktop and choosing New Terminal from
the menu.
To exit a shell prompt, click the X button on the upper right corner of the shell prompt window, type
exit at the prompt, or press [Ctrl]-[D] at the prompt.
1.6. Creating a User Account
When you first started your Red Hat Linux system after installation, you were given the opportunity
to create one or more user accounts using the Setup Agent. If you did not create at least one account
(not including the root account) you should do so now. You should avoid working in the root account
for daily tasks.
There are two ways to create new and/or additional user accounts: using the graphical User Manager
application or from a shell prompt.
To create a user account graphically using the User Manager:
1. Click the Start Here icon on the desktop. In the new window that opens, click the System
Settings icon, and then click the Users & Groups icon. You can also select Main Menu =>
System Settings => Users & Groups from the panel.
You can also start the User Manager by typing redhat-config-users at a shell prompt.
2. If you are not logged in as root, you will be prompted for your root password.
3. The window shown in Figure 1-10 will appear. Click Add User.