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You can usually get by without doing any...
The difference is that hand editing or using the cli is often the most efficient way of doing something, so most long term linux users will choose this method even when a gui based option exists.
Also if you are trying to explain to someone else how to do things, typically via a text based online forum, or verbally over the phone, a cli is much easier because the cli has more in common with the medium used to convey the instructions.
As an example, i was helping a guy how install ntop on a ubuntu box a few weeks ago, i could have walked him through using the gui tools to find and install ntop, but it was much easier to walk him through opening a terminal and then typing "sudo apt-get install ntop"...
If using a textual medium such as a forum or irc, you can even just give people a block of text they can paste in... Can't do that with a gui.
This is also why i _HATE_ video howtos online, i'm not always in a position to listen to the sound (eg at work), i might not have access to a graphical browser or might be on a very slow link (often gprs, because 3g is not ubiquitous everywhere i have to travel to), and you cant cut+paste commands or configuration details from a video - you have to type them all back in which is not only a hassle but also extremely error prone.





Member since:
2005-07-06
You know, what I tell people to fix issues they have with Linux by editing grub/xorg.conf/etc I usually get shouted at...
The HP Windows driver is super bloated and far too fragile.
For once, Linux wins on ease of use - let us enjoy it.
- Gilboa