Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
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IDLE 3
—Clicking this entry loads IDLE conigured to use the newer Python 3 pro-
gramming language, rather than the default Python 2.7 language. Both are largely
compatible with each other, but some programs may require features of Python 3.
❍
Scratch
—his shortcut opens the Scratch educational language, and is the same as the
Scratch entry found in the Education category. Either can be used to start the program.
❍
Squeak
—As with Scratch, this is a duplicate of the shortcut found in the Education cate-
gory. You will rarely want to click this directly, and should instead use the Scratch shortcut.
Sound & Video
❍
Music Player—
LXMusic is a simple and lightweight interface to the XMMS2 music
playback software, allowing you to listen to music iles while you work on the Pi.
System Tools
❍
Task Manager—
A tool for checking the amount of free memory available on the Pi,
the current workload of the processor, and for closing programs which have crashed or
are otherwise unresponsive.
Preferences
❍
Customise Look and Feel
—A toolkit for adjusting the appearance of the GUI, includ-
ing the style and colour of windows.
❍
Desktop Session Settings
—A tool for changing how the system works when the user
is logged in, including what programs are automatically loaded and which window
manager—the software that draws the borders and title bars of windows—is used.
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Keyboard and Mouse
—A tool for adjusting input devices. If your keyboard is typing
the wrong characters for certain keys, or your mouse is too sensitive, the settings can
be altered here.
❍
Monitor Settings
—he resolution that the monitor or TV connected to the Pi runs at
can be altered here, although advanced changes require modiication of coniguration
iles. You'll learn about this in Chapter 6, “Coniguring the Raspberry Pi”.
❍
Openbox Coniguration Manager
—he LXDE GUI uses a desktop environment
called
Openbox
, which can be adjusted here. Using thist tool, you can apply new themes
to change the GUI's appearance, or alter how certain aspects of the interface operate.
❍
Preferred Applications
—A tool for changing which applications are opened for par-
ticular ile types. If you choose to use an alternative web browser, the system default
can be changed here.
