GConf is a system that was invented to make application preferences more manageable for system administrators.

GConf stores data in the user space in $HOME/.gconf:

• desktop/gnome for desktop settings
• apps

1. GConf tool

gconftool-2 is the GNOME 2 configuration tool. It is meant to be used from command line

 $ gconftool-2 -R /desktop/gnome

That will display some of the GNOME desktop settings.

2. GConf Editor

The GConf Editor is a graphical application and as such is more targeted towards the general user.