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You really do not need to learn the command line to use Desktop Linux these days. At least for what most people do. Browsing, office, gaming (with Steam). I wo

You really do not need to learn the command line to use Desktop Linux these days. At least for what most people do. Browsing, office, gaming (with Steam). I would highly encourage you to learn the command line as it is considered a valuable skill on this site. You do not need to learn every obscure program. I often forget how to use quite a few Linux comamnds and just refer to Google or man.

cm2187 10y ago
Yeah but a few examples of common things that I can do with a UI with windows but had to edit text files and figure out the syntax in linux: - Setting up a scheduled job - Manipulate the firewall (I don't include third party packages as "UI") - Configuring a website - Changing permissions on a .py file to execute it I also had huge problems a few years ago when the only Linux servers I could rent from OVH had no UI, and I didn't manage to figure out how to install the UI from a command line. I'll need to get into Linux. But I find it to be hard work (for someone who does that as a hobby).
- ShareDVI 10y ago
  > Setting up a scheduled job http://corntab.com http://corntab.com https://github.com/alseambusher/crontab-ui https://github.com/alseambusher/crontab-ui > Manipulate the firewall http://gufw.org http://gufw.org > Configuring a website http://apachegui.net http://apachegui.net (How can you do it in gui on windows?) > Changing permissions on a .py file to execute it Any normal file manager, i.e. thunar. > I don't include third party packages as "UI" Why? They're not hard to install if you need it.
  - cm2187 10y ago
    > How can you do it in gui on windows? IIS has a UI for pretty much everything > Why? They're not hard to install if you need it. Yes but 1. pretty much everyone uses txt commands so configuring these things with a UI would typically not appear in search results when looking for how to do something 2. having a UI is about making the OS self discoverable and intuitive. If it takes to be aware of and install some third party packages then the UI failed its objective. Another thing that often tripped me in linux is the variety of distributions and tools to do the same thing. I can understand why advanced users appreciate having the choice, but from a beginner point of view, it makes it quite hard as the syntax that will work on one distribution of linux or with one tool will break another.
    - vetinari 10y ago
      > IIS has a UI for pretty much everything And it was game of "where they did hide that thing I need to configure right now?" at the beginning. Fortunately, later they did allow config files. Additionally, GUI does not allow all the thing you can (and want) to configure using the config file. You can also put your config files into svn or git repository and track changes to them over time. No more "what did I set to that server two years ago?" moments. You can also recycle config from one server to another, without clicking all the days. So as a beginner, do not get used to GUI applets. Later, you will be thankful you didn't.
      - digi_owl 10y ago
        > And it was game of "where they did hide that thing I need to configure right now?" And sadly that is a game that the Linux user space devs are getting very adept at implementing...
- pietroalbini 10y ago
  On servers, an UI is just a waste of resources, and doesn't allow you to configure the server automatically (with tools such as ansible).
  - cm2187 10y ago
    I can understand why they do it. But my point is about how hard it is to transition from Windows to Linux.
    - vetinari 10y ago
      The default for windows servers is also gui-less install. You have to specifically select the gui when installing. So I guess you are talking about transitioning from Windows client to Linux server.
- csdreamer7 10y ago
  You didn't say system administrator work. From your earlier post I got the impression you were struggling with desktop usage. Alot of people prefer the command line as it gives them more flexibility, especially with Devops (I makes courses for this). > I also had huge problems a few years ago when the only Linux servers I could rent from OVH had no UI, and I didn't manage to figure out how to install the UI from a command line. Never heard of OVH. Try Digital Ocean and select their premade options, you can get a fully configured WordPress image from them. > I'll need to get into Linux. But I find it to be hard work (for someone who does that as a hobby). I don't know what to tell you. Sounds like you need to take a class or attend a Linuxfest where people will sit down with you and guide you through it. > ... (I don't include third party packages as "UI") Keeping UI as optional is deliberate as it reduces the surface attack structure of a Linux system. It also reduces resources with scaling a server farm. This is an important point to understand if you want to learn why Linux (and Unix like) dominates in servers. If you really want a UI, rent a CPanel managed Linux system.
- appleflaxen 10y ago
  > (I don't include third party packages as "UI") That seems like an unimportant distinction, if it otherwise does what you need. It makes it sound like you're not making a sincere appraisal of the tools based on their merits.

cm2187 10y ago

Yeah but a few examples of common things that I can do with a UI with windows but had to edit text files and figure out the syntax in linux: - Setting up a scheduled job - Manipulate the firewall (I don't include third party packages as "UI") - Configuring a website - Changing permissions on a .py file to execute it I also had huge problems a few years ago when the only Linux servers I could rent from OVH had no UI, and I didn't manage to figure out how to install the UI from a command line. I'll need to get into Linux. But I find it to be hard work (for someone who does that as a hobby).

ShareDVI 10y ago
> Setting up a scheduled job http://corntab.com http://corntab.com https://github.com/alseambusher/crontab-ui https://github.com/alseambusher/crontab-ui > Manipulate the firewall http://gufw.org http://gufw.org > Configuring a website http://apachegui.net http://apachegui.net (How can you do it in gui on windows?) > Changing permissions on a .py file to execute it Any normal file manager, i.e. thunar. > I don't include third party packages as "UI" Why? They're not hard to install if you need it.
- cm2187 10y ago
  > How can you do it in gui on windows? IIS has a UI for pretty much everything > Why? They're not hard to install if you need it. Yes but 1. pretty much everyone uses txt commands so configuring these things with a UI would typically not appear in search results when looking for how to do something 2. having a UI is about making the OS self discoverable and intuitive. If it takes to be aware of and install some third party packages then the UI failed its objective. Another thing that often tripped me in linux is the variety of distributions and tools to do the same thing. I can understand why advanced users appreciate having the choice, but from a beginner point of view, it makes it quite hard as the syntax that will work on one distribution of linux or with one tool will break another.
  - vetinari 10y ago
    > IIS has a UI for pretty much everything And it was game of "where they did hide that thing I need to configure right now?" at the beginning. Fortunately, later they did allow config files. Additionally, GUI does not allow all the thing you can (and want) to configure using the config file. You can also put your config files into svn or git repository and track changes to them over time. No more "what did I set to that server two years ago?" moments. You can also recycle config from one server to another, without clicking all the days. So as a beginner, do not get used to GUI applets. Later, you will be thankful you didn't.
    - digi_owl 10y ago
      > And it was game of "where they did hide that thing I need to configure right now?" And sadly that is a game that the Linux user space devs are getting very adept at implementing...
pietroalbini 10y ago
On servers, an UI is just a waste of resources, and doesn't allow you to configure the server automatically (with tools such as ansible).
- cm2187 10y ago
  I can understand why they do it. But my point is about how hard it is to transition from Windows to Linux.
  - vetinari 10y ago
    The default for windows servers is also gui-less install. You have to specifically select the gui when installing. So I guess you are talking about transitioning from Windows client to Linux server.
csdreamer7 10y ago
You didn't say system administrator work. From your earlier post I got the impression you were struggling with desktop usage. Alot of people prefer the command line as it gives them more flexibility, especially with Devops (I makes courses for this). > I also had huge problems a few years ago when the only Linux servers I could rent from OVH had no UI, and I didn't manage to figure out how to install the UI from a command line. Never heard of OVH. Try Digital Ocean and select their premade options, you can get a fully configured WordPress image from them. > I'll need to get into Linux. But I find it to be hard work (for someone who does that as a hobby). I don't know what to tell you. Sounds like you need to take a class or attend a Linuxfest where people will sit down with you and guide you through it. > ... (I don't include third party packages as "UI") Keeping UI as optional is deliberate as it reduces the surface attack structure of a Linux system. It also reduces resources with scaling a server farm. This is an important point to understand if you want to learn why Linux (and Unix like) dominates in servers. If you really want a UI, rent a CPanel managed Linux system.
appleflaxen 10y ago
> (I don't include third party packages as "UI") That seems like an unimportant distinction, if it otherwise does what you need. It makes it sound like you're not making a sincere appraisal of the tools based on their merits.