h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oh, well.

I don't need a graphical interface for 'date'.

But you do to read this message

As you just might have guessed, I am able to read and write these messages, and -yes!- I am doing it on a graphical interface under UNIX.

Trying to get my point clearer: Is it really necessary to have a graphical front-end for each and every command? I don´t think so. On the other hand, if it helps users who aren't as familiar with computers as you and me to handle them, then why not?

Maybe I have been a bit impulsive.

I just installed my first copy of Corel Linux - it's GUI all the way... Kind of takes the fun out of it, somehow

Well corel linux is as close to microsoft you get with a linux distribution, and I still haven't gotten over the part that it installs with a blank root password... and all the user passwords are blank by default.... it's horrendous considering the fact that linux is supposed to be so secure....
And I've seen results claiming that corel's distribution isn't as stable as other more mainstream and more hardcore-guru distributions... but I haven't got any hands-on experience with corel so I can't really argue that case very much...

I think the "blank" passwords are more understandable if you consider the target audience. Corel is the variety of Linux most likely to appear on a "newbie" machine with no internet or other network connection. Experience has shown me that those are the people who will think of a "clever" password, then forget it the next day and lock themselves out of the system. In a network environment, it's acceptable to think in "Guru mode" and say "that's their own fault - they should learn some password discipline!", but when it's a 486 in somebody's back bedroom that attitude is a bit unnecessary...

Can't say I totally agree, people who install Corel linux has also heard about the "great" security linux has.... There should at least be a default password for root, even if it's just there to keep lazy newbies from using root as their useraccount...
I tend to think the harder the OS is to use the first time, the more you'll be rewarded after a week or 2 with lots of problems.... but then again, I am one of those bearded guru gnomes who spend too much time behind the monitors..

Corel Linux Is Revolting, it relies totaly upon the specialy tailored KDE window Manager, the boot loader is written to disk whether you want to install it or not, the splash screen sits on top of the start up screen so you can't see what it's doing, and a number off apps didn't work, including Corels own WordPerfect 8 lte.

My favourite is Mandrake, although most people considder it to be a begginers Distro, I bought mandrake because I thought there must be something other than corel, I was not dissapointed, the setup program was nice and easy partitioning was straight forward and install took very little time.

when I started I clung to the X interface but know i'm very fluent in the command line. and it's also a good platform to learn C from.

I've heard a lot of good reports about Mandrake - I plan to play with it soon...

If you want any Distribution of linux for around £5 try the following sites:

http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk all things linux and more

http://www.aquila-vision.co.uk Mainly PCB Design with Linux as a Sideline.

Thanks, but I have a friend with a fast line and a CD burner in his back bedroom!

I can generally get any distro. for a 30p blank CD-R and a beer...!

well O.K but if you ever need Tux T-Shirts, Hackers KeyBoards, coffe Mugs or 30cm high furry penguins then the linux emporium may still be usefull.

Oh no you don't need a GUI to read and contribute to this community. I have used lynx (a text browser) to read and post to H2G2 several times. OK it isn't as pretty but it works.

The most Unix like of all the Linux distro's is Slackware. Check it out if you got the time. I response to no GUI, if it can't be done on the command line, it really doesn't need to be done.

You must have one hell of a visual imagination to play "Doom" on the command line!

Let me start again. Except for games (unlike battlestar, hitchhickers guide...) you don't need a GUI.

What about The GIMP?

Who says you need a graphical interface to Doom. Have you not come across text mode doom then? http://fraggle.alkali.org/textdoom.shtml

There is also a set of patches for Quake to do the same thing at http://webpages.mr.net/bobz/ttyquake/

I'm impressed! I withdraw that particular piece of sarcasm!

>Check it out if you got the time
"...if you got the time" is the critical statement here.
Slackware is one hell of a distribution. Be prepared to read half of the How-Tos and manpages. Twice.
On the other hand, Slackware is the best distribution to learn how things work in linux.
I'm still learning...
I've tried Caldera, Red Hat and Mandrake and now Slackware.
I hate it, I love it.
I will never let go of it