1.4 The Solaris Operating Environment
1.4.3 Graphical User Interface (GUI) options
Common Desktop Environment (CDE) 
Sun Microsystems was the first company to use a windowing environment in conjunction with the UNIX operating system. In 1993, a consortium of UNIX platform vendors was formed to develop an integrated, standard, and consistent graphical user interface desktop environment. The contributors included Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Novell, and Sun Microsystems, along with many other companies and members of the OSF (Open Software Foundation), X/Open, and the X Consortium. CDE is Motif-based and users of other UNIX and personal computer (PC) desktops should be comfortable using CDE. Many of the features are common to other desktop environments. Common Desktop Environment (CDE) offers the following for users:
  • Provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI) between the user and the operating system
  • Includes built-in menus for users to select and run utilities and programs without using Solaris Environment commands
  • Provides over 300 utility programs and tools
  • Enables users to control multiple documents or applications on the screen at the same time
  • Controls activities in windows using both the mouse and the keyboard

The Figure represents some of the major programs and tools available with CDE including Calendar, File Management, Email, Printer Management and Notes. CDE is discussed in greater detail in subsequent chapters.

Open Windows
Open Windows is Sun's original graphical user interface developed for the Solaris environment. It is similar to CDE but is proprietary and not as well supported. The user has a choice when logging in to a Solaris workstation to select either CDE or Open Windows.

Lab Activity (Adobe Acrobat Reader, 18 kB)
  UNIX Computing Environment

This lab exercise will review UNIX computing environment terminology and help to reinforce concepts introduced in chapter 1. You will also investigate the use of UNIX at your institution or another organization and research web sites to see what organizations are using Solaris UNIX.