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I started working through this book with my girlfriend who wants to learn Python... it turns out most people don't know/understand what a terminal or shell is.

• jiggy2011 14y ago
  Just explain it is a good way to use the computer with just text and a keyboard and it's useful because you don't have to write all the code that deals with graphics (also text is easier to test). Having said that , I think there is some merit in showing somebody how to make their programs output to either a local GUI or to the web relatively quickly since they are more likely to perceive that as a "proper" application.
• aidenn0 14y ago
  1) The terminal is a conversation; you tell the computer to do something and it answers you (a lot of the time telling you it doesn't understand you). 2) When you want to do something very specific the terminal can be much more efficient, as well as easy to explain. example "copy c:\foo.doc c:\bar.doc" versus (e.g.): 1) Navigate explorer to c:\ 2) Find the file named "foo" with the MS Word icon and click and drag it, staying in the same window 3) Click on "Copy of foo" 4) Press F2 5) Type in "bar" The shell way is both faster and easier to communicate to someone else (as long as they know how to open a terminal).