Translations by Aron Xu

Once in a while a friend, family member, or colleague may want to borrow your computer. The Ubuntu <app>Guest Session</app> feature provides a convenient way, with a high level of security, to lend your computer to someone else. The feature is available to any regular user when logged in.

Click the <link xref="unity-appmenu-intro">Messaging menu</link> on the right hand side of the menu bar.

To return to the main dash view, just click the first icon in the row, the Home button.

<link xref="sharing-desktop">Desktop sharing</link>

To launch a guest session, click your name in the <gui>menu bar</gui> and select <gui>Guest Session</gui>. This will lock the screen for your own session and start the guest session. A guest cannot view the home folders of other users, and by default any saved data or changed settings will be removed/reset at logout. It means that each session starts with a fresh environment, unaffected by what previous guests did.

Application and file shortcuts

The <gui>dash</gui> includes a <gui>search bar</gui>, <gui>application and files shortcuts</gui>, and launchers for commonly-used applications (your web browser, email program, etc.).

Click <gui>Universal Access</gui>.

Select the <gui>Pointing and Clicking</gui> tab.

Empathy is installed by default in Ubuntu. Start <app>Empathy Instant Messaging</app> from the <link xref="unity-dash-intro">dash</link>, the <link xref="unity-launcher-intro">launcher</link> or choose <gui>Chat</gui> from the <link xref="unity-appmenu-intro">Messaging menu</link>.

Click the <link xref="unity-appmenu-intro">network menu</link> in the menu bar and select <gui>Edit Connections...</gui>

Access the current time and date.

Access <link xref="prefs">system settings</link>. Lock screen, log out, suspend, restart or shutdown your computer.

By default, the <gui>dash</gui> will display one row of applications or files that match your search criteria. To see more results that match your search, click <gui>See more results</gui>.

Clicking the second icon in the row will display the <gui>Applications</gui> lens. This displays applications you use most frequently, applications you have installed, as well as additional applications you can install from the Ubuntu Software Center.

The search bar is a <em>global search bar</em>, meaning you can use it to search for both applications <em>and</em> files. To use the global search bar, open the dash and then just start typing. The names and icons of relevant application and files will appear as soon as you start entering text.

The Launcher and the Home Button

This is just the beginning of what the Dash can do for you. If you want to get the most out of the Dash, check out the Dash tips-and-tricks.

Relevant application results will appear in one row, and relevant file results will appear in a second row. If no applications match your search query, only the <em>file</em> result list will appear. Similarly, if no files match your query, only the <em>application</em> list will appear.

The <em>Dash</em> is designed to make it easier to find, open and use applications, files, and music. For example, if you type the word "document" into the <em>Search Bar</em>, the Dash will show you applications that help you write and edit documents. It will also show you relevant folders and documents that you have been working on recently.

Switch <gui>Mouse Keys</gui> on.

You can change your instant messaging status (Available, Away, Busy etc) from the <link xref="unity-appmenu-intro">Messaging menu</link>.

If you see an application that you want to use, or a file that you want to open, click on its icon to start it. Also, pressing the <key>Enter</key> key will start the first item in the list.

Find applications and files using the search bar

To log out or switch users, click the <link xref="unity-appmenu-intro">system menu</link> at the very right of the menu bar and select the appropriate option.

Click the buttons in the row at the bottom of the dash to switch between <gui>lenses</gui>. Lenses allow you to focus the dash results and exclude results from other lenses.

Using a search box can be quite a bit easier and even faster than navigating complicated heirarchies of menus. The HUD also can be more accessible than normal menus as some people are unable to precisely control a mouse pointer.

Manage apps &amp; settings with indicator status menus

Ubuntu has several different <gui>indicator status menus</gui> on the right side of the menu bar. The status menus are a convenient place where you can check and modify the state of your computer and applications. Some status menus you will see are:

The <gui>Launcher</gui> is one of the key components of the new Unity desktop. When you log in to your desktop, it will appear along the left-hand side of the screen. The launcher provides you with quick access to applications, workspaces, removable devices and the trash.

In the Hardware section, click <gui>Additional Drivers</gui>.

To start using the <gui>dash</gui>, click the Ubuntu logo in the top-left portion of the screen, or press the <key xref="windows-key">Super</key> key. To hide the <gui>dash</gui>, press <key>Esc</key>.

Clicking the document icon allows you to browse the files you have used most recently, files in your <gui>Downloads</gui> folder, and your <link xref="nautilus-bookmarks-edit">bookmarked folders</link>.

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Ignore quickly-repeated key presses of the same key.

Turn on <em>bounce keys</em> to ignore key presses that are rapidly repeated. For example, if you have hand tremors which cause you to press a key multiple times when you only want to press it once, you should turn on bounce keys.

Click the icon at the very right of the <gui>menu bar</gui> and select <gui>System Settings</gui>.

Open <gui>Universal Access</gui> and select the <gui>Typing</gui> tab.

Switch <gui>Bounce Keys</gui> on.

Use the <gui>Acceptance delay</gui> slider to change how long bounce keys waits before it registers another key press after you pressed the key for the first time. Select <gui>Beep when a key is rejected</gui> if you want the computer to make a sound each time it ignores a key press because it happened too soon after the previous key press.

Use the <app>Orca</app> screen reader with a refreshable Braille display.

Read screen in Braille

Make windows and buttons on the screen more (or less) vivid, so they're easier to see.

You can adjust the contrast of windows and buttons so that they're easier to see. This is not the same as <link xref="display-dimscreen">changing the brightness of the whole screen</link>; only parts of the <em>user interface</em> will change.

The Hover Click (Dwell Click) feature allows you to click by holding the mouse still.

Simulate clicking by hovering

You can click or drag simply by hovering your mouse pointer over a control or object on the screen. This is useful if you find it difficult to move the mouse and click at the same time. This feature is called Hover Click or Dwell Click.

When Hover Click is enabled, you can move your mouse pointer over a control, let go of the mouse, and then wait for a while before the button will be clicked for you.

Open <gui>Universal Access</gui> and select the <gui>Pointing and Clicking</gui> tab.