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GUI file browsers support keyboard commands and they are much faster to type, because commands are much shorter. “cd .. {Enter}” in console is either “{Alt}+{U

GUI file browsers support keyboard commands and they are much faster to type, because commands are much shorter. “cd .. {Enter}” in console is either “{Alt}+{Up arrow}” or “{Home} {Enter}” in GUI, 6 versus 2 key presses. “cd de{tab}” in console is “d e” or “{Alt}+d e” in GUI, 6 versus 2-3 key presses. GUI tools are able to expose shorter commands because context is richer, i.e. user instantly sees a filter edit box popping up after {Alt}+d, user will see both current location + child items after each navigation or filter operation, etc. That kind of interactivity is what saves user input. The approach is hard to implement in a shell because shells were designed for command-output interaction model. OTOH, rich GUI tools are much harder to develop.

jbergens 9y ago
For example the Total Commander on Windows has nice shortcuts for going to your most common folders or show the list of recently visited folders.
- Const-me 9y ago
  I’m also on Windows, and using both Total Commander and Far. Often at the same time, but they’re both very good. TC has better archives support, and better F3 previews for pictures and multimedia. Far has slightly better FTP client, includes SCP client, has _much_ better F4 editor, and also has seamless command-line shell integration, i.e. Ctrl+O switches between blue panels and interactive shell, with synchronized current directory and commands to insert file names/paths into the shell prompt.
icebraining 9y ago
That GUI is more efficient because it limits you to navigation commands. There's no reason why a navigation-specific shell can't let you type "de{Enter}" and automatically change to that directory.
- Const-me 9y ago
  > That GUI is more efficient because it limits you to navigation commands While indeed limited, it’s not limited just to navigation. Here’s a GUI that appears when I press Alt+F7 in a GUI file manager: http://const.me/tmp/tc-find-gui.png http://const.me/tmp/tc-find-gui.png It exposes combined functionality of many Linux shell utilities: find, grep, lsattr, xargs, fdupes, iconv, mountavfs/fusermount, etc. For example I click “{Alt}+(F7 r t) test {enter}” to find all files containing “test” in all files and subdirectories, including content of archives. That’s 9 key presses. Can you do equally efficient in a command line shell? Not only it saves key presses, its also less stuff to remember and therefore much easier to use. I only need to remember Alt+F7, the rest is obvious because labels, and by convention, underlined letters in them mark {Alt}+{Letter} shortcuts. You don’t even need to use keyboard, mouse is even more accessible (but not touchscreens, for them entirely different GUI is required).
  - icebraining 9y ago
    That screen is limited to navigation; having a different screen for other tools is also possible in the shell (using modes - like Vim). It has really nothing to do with being a GUI or not. Can you do equally efficient in a command line shell? Well, of course; that's what aliases are for. Not only it saves key presses, its also less stuff to remember and therefore much easier to use. No argument there; I was disagreeing with a specific point, not making a case for the overall superiority of the shell.
    - Const-me 9y ago
      > It has really nothing to do with being a GUI or not. That screen is not limited to navigation commands. By using keys other than enter, I can copy, rename, delete, e-mail, pack, etc. that de-whatever directory. Each of the operations would take just a couple extra key presses. Technically you can do the almost same with TUI (but not CLI) but still less efficient because sometimes file icons and especially previews deliver valuable information to the user. > Well, of course; that's what aliases are for. How easy is gonna be to write a command for that alias that does same as “{Alt}+(F7 r t) something {enter}” in the above GUI? The GUI supports zip, rar, tar.gz, cab, and many others out of the box, plus plugins for other archives (I only have 7-zip). Another thing, a single alias is not enough to replace the GUI, because behind that not so complex looking GUI there’s a functionality with 20 parameters just on the first tab page. Even if you’ll create that alt-f7-r-t alias, next day you’ll need to do same but search for UTF16 and/or regexp and/or case sensitive. How you’ll deal with the exponential explosion of complexity? With equally complex CLI with arguments like -rwe2hoc18m? Not many people use advanced searches every day, so memorizing the switches is not worth it. Most users will have two choices, read manual each time, or write commands instead of using that search alias. Both options are significantly slower than using Alt+F7 GUI screen.

jbergens 9y ago

For example the Total Commander on Windows has nice shortcuts for going to your most common folders or show the list of recently visited folders.

Const-me 9y ago
I’m also on Windows, and using both Total Commander and Far. Often at the same time, but they’re both very good. TC has better archives support, and better F3 previews for pictures and multimedia. Far has slightly better FTP client, includes SCP client, has _much_ better F4 editor, and also has seamless command-line shell integration, i.e. Ctrl+O switches between blue panels and interactive shell, with synchronized current directory and commands to insert file names/paths into the shell prompt.

icebraining 9y ago

That GUI is more efficient because it limits you to navigation commands. There's no reason why a navigation-specific shell can't let you type "de{Enter}" and automatically change to that directory.

Const-me 9y ago
> That GUI is more efficient because it limits you to navigation commands While indeed limited, it’s not limited just to navigation. Here’s a GUI that appears when I press Alt+F7 in a GUI file manager: http://const.me/tmp/tc-find-gui.png http://const.me/tmp/tc-find-gui.png It exposes combined functionality of many Linux shell utilities: find, grep, lsattr, xargs, fdupes, iconv, mountavfs/fusermount, etc. For example I click “{Alt}+(F7 r t) test {enter}” to find all files containing “test” in all files and subdirectories, including content of archives. That’s 9 key presses. Can you do equally efficient in a command line shell? Not only it saves key presses, its also less stuff to remember and therefore much easier to use. I only need to remember Alt+F7, the rest is obvious because labels, and by convention, underlined letters in them mark {Alt}+{Letter} shortcuts. You don’t even need to use keyboard, mouse is even more accessible (but not touchscreens, for them entirely different GUI is required).
- icebraining 9y ago
  That screen is limited to navigation; having a different screen for other tools is also possible in the shell (using modes - like Vim). It has really nothing to do with being a GUI or not. Can you do equally efficient in a command line shell? Well, of course; that's what aliases are for. Not only it saves key presses, its also less stuff to remember and therefore much easier to use. No argument there; I was disagreeing with a specific point, not making a case for the overall superiority of the shell.
  - Const-me 9y ago
    > It has really nothing to do with being a GUI or not. That screen is not limited to navigation commands. By using keys other than enter, I can copy, rename, delete, e-mail, pack, etc. that de-whatever directory. Each of the operations would take just a couple extra key presses. Technically you can do the almost same with TUI (but not CLI) but still less efficient because sometimes file icons and especially previews deliver valuable information to the user. > Well, of course; that's what aliases are for. How easy is gonna be to write a command for that alias that does same as “{Alt}+(F7 r t) something {enter}” in the above GUI? The GUI supports zip, rar, tar.gz, cab, and many others out of the box, plus plugins for other archives (I only have 7-zip). Another thing, a single alias is not enough to replace the GUI, because behind that not so complex looking GUI there’s a functionality with 20 parameters just on the first tab page. Even if you’ll create that alt-f7-r-t alias, next day you’ll need to do same but search for UTF16 and/or regexp and/or case sensitive. How you’ll deal with the exponential explosion of complexity? With equally complex CLI with arguments like -rwe2hoc18m? Not many people use advanced searches every day, so memorizing the switches is not worth it. Most users will have two choices, read manual each time, or write commands instead of using that search alias. Both options are significantly slower than using Alt+F7 GUI screen.