# Let the fun begin

## Starting GNUmed

As you might know GNUmed can be run on different operating systems such as GNU/Linux, Apple's Mac OSX and MS Windows. Because of that, there is no single way of starting GNUmed.

On Windows, you can start the GNUmed client via Start menu > Programs > GNUmed > GNUmed.

On GNU/Linux

- if you installed from the Debian package
  - under Gnome, mouse to the menu Applications > Office > GNUmed
  - under KDE, mouse to the menu Debian > Applications > Tools > GNUmed client
  - or, call `gnumed` from the command line
- if you installed from CVS or tarball then, from the command line, call (`./`) the made-executable script `/some-directory/gnumed/gnumed/client/gm-from-vcs.sh`

Remember, if there would be any questions about any problem(s) that you had, some answers may be able to be found in a ".log" file, which can be found in the same folder or directory as the launched version (copy) of the GNUmed client is residing.

## Login dialog

Inside the login dialog you are asked to provide the login and password to be able to access GNUmed. You can obtain this information from your database administrator.

### Connecting to a public test server

By default, GNUmed will offer to connect to one of the public test servers. Setting up your own server/database is covered in a separate topic. The servers/databases to which a client can connect are defined as a "backend profiles" in any of the configuration files.

Hit [OK] and wait for GNUmed to power up the user interface. Meanwhile, you are shown which plugins GNUmed is about to load, and you will be notified about success or failure.

Currently (10/2008) there exists one public GNUmed test server. When accessing this server from around the world, be prepared to wait 30-60 seconds for test data to be fetched and processed:

- publicdb.gnumed.de, hosted in Germany

Try to login in with the following credentials:

server: publicdb.gnumed.de (this is the default)
user: any-doc (this is the default)
password: any-doc

### Connecting to your own local server

If you have installed a local server, use

server: local database (available in the pop-up)
user: any-doc
password: any-doc

or ask your administrator for a real GNUmed login.

If you ran into problems, and would like to help the GNUmed team to diagnose them, then at your next login check-mark the option "Debug mode". See if you can reproduce a problem that you may like to report. "Debug mode" will generate a more-detailed log. Forward this as follows:

- in the case of real-patient “production” systems, which may contain patient information, to your local administrator
- in the case of fake patient “development” or “test” systems (or if you have stripped out patient identifiers) to gnumed-bugs@gnu.org

Next: Getting to know Gnumed