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Getting Started with GENOME
Prakriti Acharya
International American University
CSE 200: Network and System Administration
Professor Ravi Chandra Gurung
November 4, 2025
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What is GNOME?
GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment) is a free, open-source desktop
environment that is used on Linux operating systems. It offers a graphical user interface (GUI)
which allows users to interact with the system through windows, icons, menu, panels and
applications contrary to relying on command line only.
What Makes GNOME So Special?
Some of the key features of GNOME that make it special are listed below:
A) Minimalistic and Focused User Experience
GENOME is focused on simplicity and productivity.
Activity Overview substitutes the crowded taskbars.
It is intuitive and it makes the communication with users effortless (Zani, 2023a).
It makes the entire machine more accessible to non-programmers since it works with
visual inputs rather than CLI (Command Line Interface) (Zani, 2023b).
Activity search everywhere can be opened by keyboard action.
The design philosophy also makes users concentrate instead of being bombarded with
excessive UI elements.
B) GNOME Shell and Dynamic Workspaces
GNOME shell provides:
Dynamic Workspaces – Workspaces appear when needed and disappear when empty
Integrated Overview Search – Search apps, files, settings, and more
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Smooth animations and transitions
This creates a fluid workflow, ideal for multitasking and productivity.
C) Strong Accessibility and Usability Focus
GNOME contains accessibility features like:
Screen reader (Orca)
Large text / high contrast modes
On-screen keyboard
Keyboard navigation everywhere
This makes GNOME suitable for users with visual or mobility impairments.
D) GNOME Extensions
Users can customize GNOME with powerful add-ons which have the following facilities:
Desktop Customization – Examples: Dynamic Panel Transparency, Dash to Panel.
Enhanced Productivity – Examples: Pop Shell (tiling manager), Clipboard Indicator.
System Integration – Examples: Vitals, Bluetooth Quick Connect, Media Controls.
Workflow Automation – Examples: Auto Move Windows, Just Perfection.
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Practical Steps to Install GNOME:
1. A Linux system was obtained using GNOME 3, Ububtu desktop. GNOME was
downloaded on Ubuntu server with the command sudo apt install gnome -y
(Negus, 2020).
Figure 1
Downloading GNOME desktop on Ubuntu Server.
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2. After the completion of download of GNOME, ubuntu was rebooted an account
with username “Prakriti Acharya” was displayed on the screen.
Figure 2
An account appearing after rebooting the server.
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3. We logged in to the GNOME desktop after entering password.
Figure 3
Logging in to the GNOME desktop.
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4. The interface of the GNOME desktop looked as shown in the figure below:
Figure 4
Interface of GNOME Desktop.
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5. Firefox browser was launched when log-in completed successfully.
Figure 5
Launching Firefox browser.
6. We navigated to the GNOME home page using the link ([Link]
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Figure 6
Navigating to GNOME home page.
7. After we went through the website, we navigated to GNOME art site with the link
([Link] in order to pick the background of our choice.
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Figure 7
Navigating to GNOME art site and selecting background.
8. The Celestial GTK Theme was selected for applying it to our desktop
background.
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Figure 8
Choosing theme for background of GNOME desktop.
9. The theme was downloaded in the pictures folder in order to set it as the
background of our desktop. It was opened through Nautilus file manager.
Figure 9
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Downloading the chosen theme in a folder of Nautilus file manager.
10. The theme was set as the background for our desktop as instructed in the steps to
customize GNOME desktop.
Figure 10
Setting the downloaded theme as desktop background.
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11. The image downloaded to be set as background was viewed in an image viewer
with its properties.
Figure 11
Viewing the background in an image viewer.
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12. The Nautilus file manager was navigated to second workspace and both the
workspaces were displayed on the desktop.
Figure 12
Navigating file manager to second workspace.
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13. An image viewer was launched by going to the apps list and by pressing super
key + typing image and hitting Enter.
Figure 13
Opening image viewer app with few actions.
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14. The windows were switched using the super key and clicking on the window to
keep them on smaller views.
Figure 14
Changing window views to smaller views for stepping through.
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15. The Firefox browser was made the front window after changing them to smaller
views.
Figure 15
Selecting Firefox as the current window.
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16. Finally, a music player was launched using only key from keyboard; clicking
super key, typing music and hitting enter.
Figure 16
Launching a music player using keyboard only.
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References
Zani, R. (2023, November 9). What is GNOME in Linux? [The Complete Overview].
LinuxSimply. [Link]
Negus, C. (2020). Linux Bible (10th ed.). Wiley.
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