| Mental Patient on Thu, 26 Sep 2002 11:24:19 -0400 |
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On Wed, 2002-09-25 at 22:11, gabriel rosenkoetter wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 25, 2002 at 07:51:38PM -0400, Ian Reinhart Geiser wrote:
> > This is because of a small oversight on the FS designers not to allow for
> > metadata in the filesystem.
>
> Pshaw. There's plenty of room for metadata in the FS. It just so
> happens it's used for storing little things like file modification
> times and such. You know, nothing so important as an icon's
> position.
>
> ::sigh::
Extreme l33tness aside, there is absolutely a place for graphical
interfaces. In fact, if it weren't for the often maligned 'GUI',
computers would be nothing more than an interest of introverts and
geeks. You're falling into a dangerous mindset. Just because _you_ don't
personally use something, or like it, doesnt mean it has no place on a
'real' computer. There are tons of reasons for a GUI. One of which is
the thing the masses crave most. Transforming a computing device into an
appliance. Why should I know 10 different commands to move stuff around
a filesystem? The learning curve is prohibitive and all I want to do is
rearange my mp3's. A mouse can (and has) replaced dozens of commands for
the desktop user. This allows them to get on with the real objective.
Getting their work done with minimal fuss (for them) and without having
to learn a myriad of commands/switches. How then, is this bad for them?
The hatred for the GUI shown by the 'hardcore' self proclaimed 'real
unix' users disgusts me. Just because a particular application isnt
useful to an admin or a kernel hacker, doesnt mean it has no merit. Not
everyone _wants_ to be an admin. Some people just want to send digital
pictures to their family, or play a game. Others, myself included, feel
that the desktop should be aestheticly pleasing as well as functional.
Isn't this why I've seen such a swell of interest in OS X in the *nix
crowd? A nice interface, combined with a powerful commandline is a
wonderful thing.
As a recovering unix admin, the disrespect shown for those not technical
or those who perhaps just want to use their computer as an appliance to
meet their needs, rather than spending all their time learning things
that in their minds have nothing to do with the task at hand only serves
to reinforce my decision to get out of the digital janitor business. I
suppose this topic has been beat to death. Its just a shame to see this
attitude on this list.
It makes new users feel inferior and appologetic. Arguing the
superiority of the commandline vs the GUI is absurd. There is a reason
we have both.
Imagine an embeded system powered by linux, but not 'dirtied' by the
baseness of a graphical interface.
You walk into Wawa to get a sandwich. You're confronted by a terminal
with a dollar sign and a blinking bar. The keyboard looks disused.
There's nobody around so you.....
sandwich
-bash: sandwich: command not found
order
-bash: order: command not found
help
GNU bash, version 2.05b.0(1)-release (i386-pc-linux-gnu)
These shell commands are defined internally. Type `help' to see this
list.
Type `help name' to find out more about the function `name'.
Use `info bash' to find out more about the shell in general.
Use `man -k' or `info' to find out more about commands not in this list.
A star (*) next to a name means that the command is disabled.
%[DIGITS | WORD] [&] (( expression ))
. filename :
[ arg... ] [[ expression ]]
alias [-p] [name[=value] ... ] bg [job_spec]
bind [-lpvsPVS] [-m keymap] [-f fi break [n]
builtin [shell-builtin [arg ...]] case WORD in [PATTERN [| PATTERN].
cd [-L|-P] [dir] command [-pVv] command [arg ...]
compgen [-abcdefgjksuv] [-o option complete [-abcdefgjksuv] [-pr] [-o
continue [n] declare [-afFirtx] [-p] name[=valu
dirs [-clpv] [+N] [-N] disown [-h] [-ar] [jobspec ...]
echo [-neE] [arg ...] enable [-pnds] [-a] [-f filename]
eval [arg ...] exec [-cl] [-a name] file [redirec
exit [n] export [-nf] [name[=value] ...] or
false fc [-e ename] [-nlr] [first] [last
fg [job_spec] for NAME [in WORDS ... ;] do COMMA
for (( exp1; exp2; exp3 )); do COM function NAME { COMMANDS ; } or NA
getopts optstring name [arg] hash [-lr] [-p pathname] [-dt] [na
help [-s] [pattern ...] history [-c] [-d offset] [n] or hi
if COMMANDS; then COMMANDS; [ elif jobs [-lnprs] [jobspec ...] or job
kill [-s sigspec | -n signum | -si let arg [arg ...]
local name[=value] ... logout
popd [+N | -N] [-n] printf format [arguments]
pushd [dir | +N | -N] [-n] pwd [-PL]
read [-ers] [-u fd] [-t timeout] [ readonly [-anf] [name[=value] ...]
return [n] select NAME [in WORDS ... ;] do CO
set [--abefhkmnptuvxBCHP] [-o opti shift [n]
shopt [-pqsu] [-o long-option] opt source filename
suspend [-f] test [expr]
time [-p] PIPELINE times
trap [arg] [signal_spec ...] or tr true
type [-afptP] name [name ...] typeset [-afFirtx] [-p] name[=valu
ulimit [-SHacdflmnpstuv] [limit] umask [-p] [-S] [mode]
unalias [-a] [name ...] unset [-f] [-v] [name ...]
until COMMANDS; do COMMANDS; done variables - Some variable names an
wait [n] while COMMANDS; do COMMANDS; done
{ COMMANDS ; }
So you leave and go to Subway instead.
You get the idea. Yes, the argument is absurd. But not by much. Who
cares if your sandwich ordering system has an uptime of 500 days and you
can remotely admin 1000 of them from your bedroom if nobody can _use_
them? Usability matters. The definition of usability changes dramaticly
based on the user.
So yes, its a free country (sort of). And not everyone will agree on
things. But why tear things down for no reason? Its not like nobody on
this lists respects you for the knowlege you have.
I for one, appreciate a decent GUI for day to day tasks. I do not feel
this lessens my abilities. When the GUI doesnt do what I need, I'm fully
capable of using and appreciate my Eterm. That said, there are times the
CLI isn't the right answer.
I guess I should just save my breath. This isn't getting me anywhere.
--
Mental (Mental@NeverLight.com)
This body. This body holding me. Be my reminder here that
I am not alone in
This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal
All this pain is an illusion.
--Tool "Parabola"
CARPE NOCTEM, QUAM MINIMUM CREDULA POSTERO.
GPG public key: http://www.neverlight.com/pas/Mental.asc
Attachment:
signature.asc
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