[HLUG] Command Line Witchcraft?

Tue Feb 23 11:52:05 UTC 2010

if someone on a email list sends me a command line solution
i dont know who they are or what it does
or how experienced the are.

if they send me instructions like

system/adminsitration/synapticpackage manager
quick search for [restricted]
select ubuntu-prestricted-extra

then i know that thousands will have been down this path before me,
that it has been tested and debugged by the ubuntu teams.

If there is one typo in their command line then it could casue all sorts of 
damage.
if there is a typo in their instructions to use the menus
then when i get down to
ubuntu-prestricted-extra
i will see where they have mistyped.

[g]

~
~  [g]  ~  [george]  ~  george at dicenews.com   ~
~       07970 378 572    ~ ~       ~
~                    www.dicegeorge.com   (c)2010.  ~
~

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From: "Richard Smedley" <smedley358 at btinternet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:47 AM
To: "Herefordshire Linux Users Group." <herefordshire at mailman.lug.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [HLUG] Command Line Witchcraft?

> Sarah Chard wrote:
>> I think mainly it is fear of the unknown - and also fear that if you do
>> use the command line you will somehow damage your system because as
>> George says it's often a case of a blind cut and paste.
>
> Hi Sarah,
>
> Thanks for the feedback - it's just what I was looking
> for. As someone who grew up in the 70s and 80s with
> command line *nix, and never got the hang of GUIs, I
> desperately need a counter-view to help make these
> articles work (alas it's too late for part I & most
> of part II).
>
>> Also if you make a mistake it doesn't tell you or points you to man
>> pages - you have to work out what you have done wrong, which if you are
>> uncertain about what/why you are doing something in the first place can
>> be confusing.
>
> You know I'd have said exactly the same about GUIs.
> I'll think the thing through from the other side for
> the next article :)
>
>> ie. - if you don't know it's going to happen the simple fact that you
>> put your password in without anything showing on the screen can be very
>> baffling
>
> Okay.
>
>> When I first started using linux/Ubuntu 2006/7 I was very worried about
>> using the command line but I had real problems getting internet
>> connections to work.
>>
>> I hate doing things when I don't understand the reason why I am doing it
>> so I struggled with the command line for a while  - then found a handy
>> ref sheet on Fosswire similar to this one -
>> http://fosswire.com/post/2007/8/unixlinux-command-cheat-sheet/
>> which helped.
>
> These (this & the one from your next mail) are v helpful.
> I'll stick them in the resources boxout.
>
>> I find it interesting to learn and quite enjoy the struggle - most
>> people don't- I agree with George in that I prefer to use a gui if one
>> is available.
>
> But GUIs are so difficult to navigate ppl through remotely.
> They are self-limiting, and rely on motion/direction, which
> is difficult, rather than words, which are the way we think :)
> ...
>
>> If I am introducing people to Ubuntu I don't mention the command line at
>> all as it will frighten them - hopefully they will not have to use it as
>> the gui's have improved so much!
>
> ..however I've come to the conclusion that it's not
> simply cli vs gui, it's just the way different ppl's
> brains are wired. I work with words, I understand words,
> but I have real problems with directions: if someone
> says you take a left, then a right, then.... I lose
> track and can't grasp it. If I see a map. no matter
> how great the distance, I grasp the route instantly.
>
> In speaking to others about it I find I'm not entirely
> an oddball, but in a significant minority (say roughly
> the proportion that vote lib-dem), but I remain
> firmly convinced that most ppl will be happy with
> the cli if introduced to it well :-)
>
> In the 90s, secretaries at places I worked fiercely
> resisted introduction of GUI OSs!
>
>  - Richard
>
> -- 
> http://www.goodgnus.org/2010/02/so-what-am-i-up-to/
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Herefordshire LUG mailing list
> Web:  http://www.herefordshire.lug.org.uk
> List: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/herefordshire
> 