Linux Desktop Environment

Gnome

• Acronym for GNU Network Object Model Environment.
• A graphical user interface that runs on top of a computer operating system composed entirely of free and open source software
• GNOME is part of the GNU project and part of the free software, or open source, movement.
• GNOME is a Windows-like desktop system.
• The main objective of GNOME is to provide a user-friendly suite of applications and an easy-to-use desktop.

KDE 

• Acronym for K Desktop Environment. A network-transparent contemporary desktop environment for UNIX workstations.
• KDE is part of the free software, or open source, movement, which competes with the more common commercial operating system /desktop platforms on the market.
• KDE is free to anyone and its source code is available to anyone to modify. 

 Open Source Application In Linux 

 Office Application:

• OpenOffice.org
• Sun StarOffice
•  StarOffice 5.2
• Applix Office 
• Corel
• Maxwell Word 
• Gnome Office
• AbiSource 
• Gnumeric  
  
• KDE Office - KWord, KSpread, KIllustrator, KChart, KFormula, Kivio and Kpresenter 
• Andrew Office suite - available for all Unixes
• ANGOSS SmartWare2000
• Siag Office
• HanCom Office
• Gobe Productive

Internet Application:

• Firefox
• Sea Monkey

Email Application:

• Evolution
• Mozilla Thunderbird
• Kmail
• Balsa

Graphic Application:

• Inkscape
• GIMPshop Review
• Linux Graphic Software
• Artstream
• DuhDraw
• Giftrans
• GNU Ghostrips and Ghostview
• GIMP

Entertainment Application:

• Xine
• Miro 2.5
• RealPlayer 11
• VLC Player
• XMMS (X MultiMedia System)