Is it possible to work in linux without Terminal?!

praveencavale · 05-13-2010, 04:26 PM

Hi..

Im not sort of into programming and I dont like the command line screen...

I want to know is it possible to work without the need of Terminal, do everything in GUI?!!!!!

Which is the best distro that comes atleast close to acheiving this?!

MS3FGX · 05-13-2010, 04:30 PM

Yes, try Ubuntu or Kubuntu.

pixellany · 05-13-2010, 04:35 PM

Welcome to LQ!!

The key to this is what you mean by "work in Linux". For example, my spouse has used Linux exclusively for many years now and NEVER opens a terminal.

As with Windows, if you are going to be the system admin, it will be MUCH easier if you know the basic terminal (shell) commands. You can learn the basics in just a few hours....

This has nothing to do with programming---that takes a LOT more patience.
It mostly has nothing to do with choice of distro---except that a few (eg Arch) pretty much require that you can work in a terminal.

I would advise anyone using Linux to get at least to the point where they are not afraid to open the terminal. (My spouse ignores this advice.)

sycamorex · 05-13-2010, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by praveencavale

Hi..

Im not sort of into programming and I dont like the command line screen...

I want to know is it possible to work without the need of Terminal, do everything in GUI?!!!!!

Which is the best distro that comes atleast close to acheiving this?!

Well, I'm not going to try to talk you into using command line, but being a programmer you deal with code all the time so (IMO) typing commands should be something you should be used to.
Command line is really useful in linux (once you are familiar with it).
You can approach almost any linux/unix computer and there's a big chance that you'll be able to do basic administrative tasks without any problem. You don't have to rely on gui applications which in many cases are just front-ends (possibly with different names and looks on different distros) for the same CLI commands.

Obviously, if you're really allergic to CLI, thare's no point in torturing yourself, but it might be worth to give it a try.

pixellany · 05-13-2010, 04:52 PM

I think OP said "NOT into programming"

sycamorex · 05-13-2010, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

I think OP said "NOT into programming"

I thought I forgot about something - Dammit! Yesterday I missed an appointment with my optician

devnull10 · 05-13-2010, 05:17 PM

I wouldn't say you have to be a programmer to use the command line. Of course you can use linux without it, but why would you want to? I find it far more powerful for even day to day tasks than using a gui.

damgar · 05-13-2010, 05:23 PM

My two cents is that with Mandriva or Ubuntu there is probably very little need to go into the terminal or edit text files if you don't want to. Then again even in windows I find it neccessary to use the terminal daily.

sycamorex · 05-13-2010, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by devnull10

I wouldn't say you have to be a programmer to use the command line.

Of course, not. I mistakenly thought the OP *IS* a programmer. For that reason I was slightly surprised.

I agree that one does not HAVE to use CLI in linux, but it definitely helps a lot.

I just found an article related to the OP. It's from 2004 and has an interesting ending (which I post below):
http://www.linux.com/archive/feed/33523

Quote:

The Linux of 2010 will be a totally smooth operating system. It will have a GUI so much more evoloved than anything today that you'll want to cry when you remember what you put up with back in '03 and '04.

Other operating systems will also advance. Microsoft, finally faced with real competition, is not going to sit there passively or rely solely on lawyers and lobbyists to keep sales up. Apple will keep on thinking different. BeOS might get resurrected. A consumer-level BSD Unix might be developed. And something entirely new might come along; there are several incipient operating systems out there that show major potential.

I'm sure there will always be a fully-malleable command line interface beneath the evolved version of Linux, but it will be purely for programmers. Ordinary people will never need to use it or even be aware that it exists. If they have system problems that can most easily be corrected through command line manipulation, they will probably allow their Linux provider to log into their machine(s) and repair the problems -- and chances are the Linux providers will use automated remote diagnosis and repair tools by then, not human programmers, except in the most drastic cases -- which will probably turn out to be hardware problems that require physical action to fix, anyway.

pixellany · 05-13-2010, 05:48 PM

Think of it this way: You have a shop full of tools, and you have a task to do. You can choose your tool based on any of the following:

Which tool---

can you find?
do you remember how to use?
is fastest?
is the most powerful?
will do the most damage if used incorrectly?

As an example, when organizing my files, I often have open:
2 GUI file managers
2 terminals

There are many cases where the terminal is hands-down the best choice.

pixellany · 05-13-2010, 05:50 PM

OP left 1 minute after starting the thread and thus has not heard a word of this.......

smeezekitty · 05-13-2010, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

OP left 1 minute after starting the thread and thus has not heard a word of this.......

Wait for a few hours-sometimes you(the op) cant reply instantly.

praveencavale · 05-14-2010, 07:03 AM

Thanks for the reply...

I have used ubuntu and fedora, ubuntu is more user friendly than fedora...but whenever i want to install some softwares or do some administrative tasks like configuring the system.. every tutorial available on the internet tells me to open Terminal and do it/ edit a text file..

Im a windows user and in the past 7 years i have never had the need to use command prompt for any task

changing from windows to linux is turning out to be a difficult task for me

... i'm getting bored of windows and im very much interested to know more about linux

linus72 · 05-14-2010, 07:17 AM

Soon enough; if you stick with Linux
you will one day remember this thread and
wonder why you hated Terminal/console so much!

I had a similar discussion with Repo when I was rather new and stupid and basically said, "Hey, I dont wanna use terminal, I can just copy/paste,etc as I did in XP!"

anyway; you'll love it soon enough

rich_c · 05-14-2010, 11:31 AM

The reason a lot of tutorials prefer to use CLI examples rather than GUI alternatives is because it's easier to write instructions referring to commands you need to type in a terminal as opposed to click this, drag that, click that etc. Also, it's easier to ensure accuracy and avoid misunderstandings.

Which, after all, is one of the advantages of the CLI. Efficiency.