Can I run Linux with no GUI?
 

Can I run Linux with no GUI? All the software I see coming out for Linux is GUI (OpenOffice, Evolution, etc.). Are there character-based equivalents for popular software categories? Sure I can get my e-mail with pine but what about office suites, etc. Linux came from the pre-GUI Unix right? Can I survive and get real work done in Linux without ever using a GUI?

There are lots of text editors out there, vi, vim, emacs, pico, etc. As for word processors, I don't think so (besides above...are these considered word processors?). There are command line mp3players, web browsers, etc, and yes, you can easily run Linux without a GUI. The big question, why have only one console open, when you can start an X window session, and open 10 consoles?

R.O.

P.S. Most Linux servers won't have X running, or even installed.

Yes, but don't expect "suites", you use different tools for different jobs. These links should get you started.

Living Linux

Linux and the Tools Philosophy

The Writer's Workbench

Sometimes I sit and fantasize about a really reliable OS. Didn't things used to be more reliable when it was just character-based (or is my memory short?) What if we took what we know now about hardware, memory, etc. and made a 'Super-DOS'. But then I thought Linux could be my character-based Super-DOS but I'm not sure if there are enough charater-based apps to get anything done. According to your reply it sounds like there are.

Use X to run consoles - is that cheating? :)

Thx,
Eric

I like X because you can run more than 12 x terminals, unlike pure console.

You can run as many terminals as you have F<N> keys if you configure that way. Standard installs have 6 virtual consoles (alt-F1 through alt-F6)

In Linux/Unix, you use text processing rather than a "word processing" (some sort of WYSIWYG editor) program.

I have 6 machines running Linux.. two of them have X installed.. Does that answer your question? ;)

You can even play Quake 3 in the CLI...