Closing your Session

When you are finally done exploring your graphical environment, or working with your favorite applications, do not forget to tell the system you are leaving, that is remember to log out in a proper manner.

Logging out can be carried out in many ways in both KDE and GNOME. You can use the main menu, log-out icons, and right-clicking pop-up menus (only in KDE). Let's look at the different procedures:

Under KDE
  • Using the K Menu

    Click on the K menu and select the Logout "your_user_name"... item. A window like the one shown below will appear, asking you for confirmation.

    Figure 3.14. KDE Log-Out Confirmation

    KDE Log-Out Confirmation
  • Right-Clicking on the Desktop

    You can right-click on the desktop in an “empty” place and a pop-up menu will be displayed.

    Figure 3.15. Logging Out Using the Pop-Up Menu under KDE

    Logging Out Using the Pop-Up Menu under KDE

    Just click on Logout "your_user_name"... and the confirmation window will appear.

Under GNOME
  • Using GNOME's Main Menu

    Click on the GNOME main menu (the one with a foot icon) and select Log Out. A window will pop up asking you for confirmation before logging out.

Whichever method you use, the screen will shade and a little box will pop up with options (we referred to it before as “confirmation window”). If you click on the OK button the default action will be performed: you will quit the current session and, after all of your windows and the desktop itself have closed, you will be brought back to the login screen.

As you might have noticed, however, there are two other options available in the confirmation window: you can choose to shutdown the system and power off the computer (Turn off computer under KDE, Shut down under GNOME), or to reboot your system (Restart computer under KDE, Restart the computer under GNOME). Again, just click on the OK button after you have checked the desired option.

Whatever your choice, this is the correct and safe way to shut down or reboot your system. You shouldn't never simply push the power button in your computer's case because this could lead to serious problems with the filesystem(s) and loss of data.