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Quickstart guide

This guide will get you productive with Time Capsule in 5 minutes. You’ll learn the essential interface elements, launch your first applications, and discover the most useful keyboard shortcuts.
Before starting, visit https://debian.com.mx to access Time Capsule. Wait for the boot sequence to complete.

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Understanding the interface

When Time Capsule finishes booting, you’ll see four main interface elements:

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The desktop

Your main workspace area where windows and desktop icons appear. You can have multiple windows open simultaneously and arrange them however you like.

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The front panel

The iconic bottom bar containing quick-launch icons for all major applications:
  • Clock - Current time display
  • Calendar - Date and appointments
  • File Manager - Browse your virtual filesystem
  • XEmacs - Text editor with authentic Emacs keybindings
  • Terminal Lab - Interactive Unix command learning
  • Netscape - 1990s web browser
  • Style Manager - Customize colors and appearance
  • App Manager - Access all applications
  • Process Monitor - View running processes

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The workspace switcher

Four buttons representing virtual workspaces. Each workspace is a separate desktop where you can organize different tasks. Think of them as four independent work areas.

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The top bar

Displays system information including the hostname, current workspace name, and system clock.

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Your first 5 minutes

1

Customize your theme (1 minute)

Let’s start by making Time Capsule your own:
  1. Click the Style Manager icon in the front panel (the palette icon)
  2. Browse through the 76 color palettes
  3. Click any palette to see it applied instantly
  4. Try clicking Backdrop to browse 168 original XPM patterns
  5. Click different backdrops to see your desktop transform
Popular combinations to try:
  • Platinum palette with BrokenIce backdrop (classic look)
  • Midnight palette with CircuitBoards backdrop (dark theme)
  • Broica palette with Afternoon backdrop (warm tones)
Found a theme you love? You can export it as a shareable link from Style Manager!
2

Write your first file (1 minute)

Time Capsule includes a full-featured text editor with real Emacs keybindings:
  1. Click the XEmacs icon in the front panel
  2. Type some text in the editor window
  3. Press Ctrl+X then Ctrl+S to save
  4. Enter a filename like hello.txt
  5. Press Enter
Your file is now saved in the virtual filesystem!
Welcome to Time Capsule!
This file is stored in IndexedDB and persists across sessions.
All Emacs shortcuts work: C-x C-s (save), C-k (kill line), C-y (yank/paste), C-s (search), and more.
3

Learn Unix commands (2 minutes)

Terminal Lab teaches Unix through 22 interactive lessons:
  1. Click the Terminal Lab icon
  2. Read the first lesson instructions
  3. Type the command shown (or press Tab to autocomplete)
  4. Press Enter to execute
  5. Watch as you automatically advance to the next lesson
Try these commands in the tutorial:
# Lesson 1: Basic navigation
pwd
ls
whoami
date
Type free at any time to exit tutorial mode and experiment with any Unix command. Type tutorial to return to guided lessons.
4

Explore virtual workspaces (30 seconds)

CDE’s killer feature is four independent workspaces:
  1. Look at the workspace switcher (four buttons labeled 1-4)
  2. Click workspace 2
  3. Open an application like XEmacs
  4. Click workspace 1 to go back
  5. Notice your first workspace is unchanged!
Use workspaces to organize tasks:
  • Workspace 1 - Main work
  • Workspace 2 - Documentation and reference
  • Workspace 3 - Communication
  • Workspace 4 - Testing and experiments
Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+1 through Ctrl+Alt+4 to switch workspaces instantly.
5

Browse the filesystem (30 seconds)

Time Capsule has a complete virtual filesystem:
  1. Click the File Manager icon
  2. Double-click folders to navigate
  3. Right-click for context menus
  4. Find the hello.txt file you created earlier
  5. Double-click to open it in XEmacs
The filesystem includes:
  • /home/user - Your home directory
  • /usr/share/doc - Documentation and man pages
  • /etc - System configuration files
  • /tmp - Temporary storage

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Essential keyboard shortcuts

Learn these five shortcuts first - they’ll make you dramatically more productive:

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1. Switch workspaces

Ctrl+Alt+1  Switch to workspace 1
Ctrl+Alt+2  Switch to workspace 2
Ctrl+Alt+3  Switch to workspace 3
Ctrl+Alt+4  Switch to workspace 4

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2. Manage windows

Alt+F4      Close active window
Alt+F9      Minimize window
Alt+F10     Maximize/restore window
Alt+Tab     Switch between windows

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3. Launch applications

Ctrl+Alt+E  Open XEmacs text editor
Ctrl+Alt+T  Open Terminal Lab
Ctrl+Alt+F  Open File Manager
Ctrl+Alt+S  Open Style Manager

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4. XEmacs editing

Ctrl+X Ctrl+S  Save file
Ctrl+X Ctrl+F  Open file
Ctrl+K         Kill (cut) line
Ctrl+Y         Yank (paste)
Ctrl+S         Search forward

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5. Terminal shortcuts

Ctrl+L  Clear screen
Ctrl+C  Cancel current command
Ctrl+A  Move to line start
Ctrl+E  Move to line end
Tab     Auto-complete command
Some shortcuts may conflict with your browser. For the best experience, install Time Capsule as a PWA to run it in standalone mode.

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Common tasks

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Create a new file

1

Open XEmacs

Click the XEmacs icon or press Ctrl+Alt+E
2

Type your content

Start typing immediately - XEmacs is ready
3

Save the file

Press Ctrl+X then Ctrl+S, enter a filename, press Enter

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Organize with folders

1

Open File Manager

Click the File Manager icon or press Ctrl+Alt+F
2

Create a folder

Right-click in the file list and select “New Folder”
3

Name your folder

Type a name and press Enter
4

Move files

Drag files into your new folder to organize

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Change your theme

1

Open Style Manager

Click the Style Manager icon or press Ctrl+Alt+S
2

Browse palettes

Click through the 76 color options to find your favorite
3

Select a backdrop

Click the Backdrop section and choose from 168 patterns
4

Apply your changes

Changes apply instantly - no save button needed

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Install as PWA

1

Look for the icon

After boot completes, find the “Install PWA” icon on the desktop
2

Double-click to install

Your browser will show an installation prompt
3

Confirm installation

Click “Install” in your browser’s dialog
4

Launch from apps

Time Capsule now appears in your app launcher as a native application
See the complete PWA installation guide for platform-specific instructions and troubleshooting.

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Tips for new users

Don’t try to learn everything at once. Spend 10 minutes with each application before moving to the next. The Terminal Lab’s 22 lessons are designed to be completed gradually.
If you’re new to CDE, start with mouse interactions. Learn keyboard shortcuts after you’re comfortable with the interface. Add 2-3 new shortcuts per week.
The virtual filesystem is isolated from your computer. Experiment freely! Delete files, try commands, customize themes - everything is safe.
Context menus are everywhere in CDE. Right-click on files, folders, the desktop, window title bars - explore what’s available.
While the filesystem persists in IndexedDB, it’s good practice to save often. Use Ctrl+X Ctrl+S in XEmacs frequently.

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Next steps

Now that you know the basics, here’s how to continue your Time Capsule journey:

Complete Terminal Lab

Work through all 22 Unix/Linux lessons to build command line proficiency

Master XEmacs

Learn advanced Emacs keybindings and editing techniques

Install as PWA

Get the native app experience with offline support

Customize everything

Try all 76 palettes and 168 backdrops to create your perfect theme

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Getting help

If you get stuck:
  • Press F1 for contextual help
  • Check application-specific guides in the documentation
  • Visit the GitHub repository for issues and discussions
  • Explore the Man Page Viewer for Unix command reference
Your Time Capsule settings, files, and theme preferences are automatically saved in your browser’s IndexedDB. They’ll be there when you return!
Ready for the full experience? Install Time Capsule as a PWA to run it like a native desktop application.