KDE is one of the major desktop user interfaces for Linux, though it works on some other operating systems as well. Like its top rival, GNOME, its software components range from low-level, such as buttons and a drop-down menu, to higher-level software such as file browsers, games, and a console for those who want a command-line interface. KDE handles many basic user interface tasks such as managing windows on the screen and letting users launch programs and switch between them.

This shot shows several new features in KDE 4.0, released Friday. Among them are the Kickoff menu at lower left, which provides quick access to favorite applications, the new Dolphin file manager at upper left, and the new System Settings interface toward the right.

Caption text by CNET News.com's Stephen Shankland.
Credit: KDE

The Present Windows effect, which shows all open applications in miniature, resembles the Expose feature of Mac OS X.
Credit: KDE

The Dashboard feature of KDE 4, similar to Mac OS X's Dashboard, lets you see your collection of running widgets with a keystroke. The Dashboard is one feature of KDE 4's new shell, called Plasma.
Credit: KDE

The Kickoff menu has a similar function and appearance to Windows' Start menu. It provides a tabbed interface that gives quick access to several lists: favorite applications (shown here), applications in a hierarchical view, computer storage media such as hard drives or flash memory drives, recently used programs and documents, and shutdown/logoff options. There's also a search bar to look for applications by name.
"The design philosophy of Kickoff is that frequently used applications and search are quicker to access than navigating a hierarchical tree every time the menu is used," KDE said.
Credit: KDE

The pager lets you switch between different workspaces called desktops, a convenient way to separate related tasks into different views--and now there's an applet that gives a larger view of the workspaces.
Credit: KDE

The Desktop Grid zooms out to show all your desktops in miniature for a more visual way to switch among applications and desktop views.
Credit: KDE

The Krunner feature gives KDE users a quick search interface to launch applications. It also can accept some commands, such as "gg:kde4" to open a Google search for "kde4" in a Web browser.
Credit: KDE

KDE can take advantage of transparent windows, though this view seems an advertisement of why to avoid that feature. It also shows the new photo-viewer software, Gwenview, in the foreground.
Credit: KDE

The new Dolphin file browser can be set to let you group files by type and provides a thumbnail view of file contents on the right side of the window. A more traditional file-manager interface is also an option.
Credit: KDE

Okular is a new document viewer. It can provide a quick peek at the contents of various files, including ODF and PDF documents.
Credit: KDE

What would Linux be without a command-line interface? KDE's Konsole has a new interface, including a split-screen mode.
Credit: KDE

This popular logic puzzle is among KDE's games. Several games have been refurbished with a new vector-art interface to make them work better independent of screen resolution.
Credit: KDE

Parley is one of KDE's educational programs, a tool to learn vocabulary of foreign languages.
Credit: KDE

Kalzium, a program aimed for educational use, can help people visualise molecules in 3D.
Credit: KDE