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You Don't Need a GUI

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Re: You Don't Need a GUI

#101

Post by ttt0 »

unnouinceput wrote: post #18
gruez wrote: post #5

Most the things in this list are things that you technically don't need a GUI for, but a GUI is so much better that doing it in command line is pointless. For instance, you could do all those file operations in the terminal, but chances are you're already browsing files using a GUI file manager so opening a terminal to do those things is pointless. Terminal is great if you want to do something complicated that a GUI…

Quote: "..you want to do something complicated that a GUI program can't handle..." Name one thing that a GUI program can't handle, I dare you. Me, on the other hand, I can point you to a trillion dollar business that uses only GUI and not a single CLI, to say the least.

Bulk rename.

Re: You Don't Need a GUI

#102

Post by Causality1 »

Even if I had all that memorized I wouldn't be able to type it faster than I could do it in the GUI and one out of ten times I'd make a typo and have to tediously fix it. I deeply envy the skills of those to whom this page applies.

Re: You Don't Need a GUI

#103

Post by BeetleB »

As much as I like the command line, I couldn't help noticing from the first 10 or so entries[1] that the "stop" text consists of one of:

1. Drag and Drop

2. Right clicking

3. Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V

So these 3-5 things do everything in the list in a GUI, and instead the author wants us to learn 35 different command/syntax combinations?

As an aside, I'd like to write an article saying "You Don't Need Github To Write an Article". If you insist on using Github for that purpose, at least do it properly with a static site generator.

[1] Did not bother with the rest.

Re: You Don't Need a GUI

#104

Post by koolba »

lanna wrote: post #92
koolba wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If I don't remember the `df` command... what do I do apart from searching on the internet? You can do that locally on the command line too! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apropos_(Unix)

But what if one doesn't remember the `apropos` command?

Then you fire him and hire someone else.

Re: You Don't Need a GUI

#105

Post by tapvt »

I think the emphasis is on “need” here.

I, a developer, spend the majority of my time between IDE and terminal. I am most efficient if my hands do not leave the keyboard.

My business partner, not a developer, but a savvy user, but is pure GUI with the addition of some browser automation and various extensions. He is impressively productive.

It is all about what works for an individual user. I appreciate this post, because I’m a keyboard-focused user. Looking forward to reading it more thoroughly.

Re: You Don't Need a GUI

#106

Post by _abox »

I think this document is a bit too belligerent. "STOP DOING xxx". Really, users should be free to do as they wish. I prefer using console a lot (though I use GUI a lot too!). But I wouldn't force others to do so. Educating them how (if they're interested) is a great thing. Making it sound like they're doing it wrong is not.

PS: One thing where a GUI really shines is picking a bunch of files from a folder and moving them elsewhere, based on a manual criterium that isn't easily identified by a wildcard. For instance, from a folder of documents pick all the ones related to a certain topic. A GUI shines for this, commandline is horrible for it. If I don't have a GUI available I will use mc for this.

However for other tasks, the commandline is gold. Finding all JPGs in a huge tree of folders and moving them all to one central folder. Easily accomplished with 'find -exec'. Very much work to do in GUI with default platform tools, usually you'd have to download some utility to do this.

So, for me they are both great options with their strengths and weaknesses. They complement each other. A good operator should be aware of both.

Re: You Don't Need a GUI

#107

Post by cosmotic »

xupybd wrote: post #44
cosmotic wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The mouse is not a requisite for a GUI file manager

Very true https://i3wm.org/ . I3 is a great WM that allows you to avoid having to use the mouse. That said I now work in the Windows world. I find that if you are using the same tools day in day out then the keyboard is the way to go. If you have to use new tools every other week the GUI is hands down much better. Unfortunately in my role I'm doing exactly that.

For what it's worth, Windows Explorer has very good keyboard support.

Re: You Don't Need a GUI

#108

Post by alphachloride »

ben509 wrote: post #51
unnouinceput wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quote: "..you want to do something complicated that a GUI program can't handle..." Name one thing that a GUI program can't handle, I dare you. Me, on the other hand, I can point you to a trillion dollar business that uses only GUI and not a single CLI, to say the least.

Google has been around since 1998, and after 23 years, their search is still a CLI stuck in a form. > Me, on the other hand, I can point you to a trillion dollar business that uses only GUI and not a single CLI, to say the least. No you can't. There are 5 companies with a market cap over a trillion. We can easily rule out Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Google as they have all developed CLIs. That leaves Saudi Aramco. D…

A CLI stuck in a form is a GUI. You got a button, links etc

Re: You Don't Need a GUI

#110

Post by BeetleB »

etaioinshrdlu wrote: post #7

I’d argue that if you’re using an ncurses based UI, you no longer have a command line interface, and you’re not scriptable anymore. Which is fine of course, but what you really have at that point is a rather ugly and limited GUI...

Depends on the UI.

Midnight commander, for example, has the command line in it, so you don't lose it. But even without the command line embedded, I'm sure I could do common file operations much faster in it than 90% of command line lovers.

Good curses based GUIs can be quite efficient. Usually won't beat the command line, but can get close, and are much easier to learn.

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