By A. D. Marshall
In order to use Solaris and most other Unix Systems you will need to be familiar with the Common Desktop Environment (CDE). Before embarking on learning C with briefly introduce the main features of the CDE.
Most major Unix vendors now provide the CDE as standard. Consequently, most users of the X Window system will now be exposed to the CDE. Indeed, continuing trends in the development of Motif and CDE will probably lead to a convergence of these technologies in the near future. This section highlights the key features of the CDE from a Users perspective.
Upon login, the user is presented with the CDE Desktop. The desktop includes a front panel, multiple virtual workspaces, and window management. CDE supports the running of applications from a file manager, from an application manager and from the front panel. Each of the subcomponents of the desktop are described below.