Re: [tlug] Re: command line

[Scott Robbins <scottro@example.com>]

On Fri, Jul 19, 2002 at 08:44:28AM +0900, Doughty, Michael wrote:
> > From: Scott Robbins [mailto:scottro@example.com]

> > 
> > On Thu, Jul 18, 2002 at 08:31:32PM +0900, Shaw wrote:
> > > 
> > > does it blow anybody else's mind that there are people out
> > > there using linux who don't know what the command line is?
> > > 
> > > or have i just been trolled?
> > 
> > Don't think so.  
> > 
> 
> Urk.
> 
> <SNIP>
> > 
> > For better or worse, Linux's user base has drastically 
> > increased. I look
> > at some of the stuff I wrote, firstly as a reminder to myself, then
> > thinking it might help other beginners, a  few years ago. At 
> > that time I
> > would explain how to get an xterm. Now, I'll write, "At a command
> > prompt..." or perhaps "Type the following..."
> 
> As you saw, I never even considered suggesting a command prompt.

You're more used to a higher level of knowledge userbase. 

> Hell, my main point of having a GUI is so I can have multiple term 
> windows open.  Oh, and Galeon too.  And what distro were you using
> a few years ago that didn't require intimate knowledge of the command
> line to get anything useful done? 

Caldera and Mandrake.  When I first began, I was using their KDE type
stuff as I'd use Windows Explorer.  My needs were far simpler then too,
however, just surfing, email and the like, simple documents, user like
things. 


> > So, it's not all that mind boggling. 
> 
> Speak for yourself.  I am severely boggled.

See above.  Sad to say, at present, most of my job consists of dealing
wtih users, in an MS network, where the first troubleshooting step is
usually to reboot.  Also, being far less knowledgeable than most of the 
contributors to this list, I spend more time on lists aimed at a lower
level of user.  Therefore, when I see postings such as "at a command
prompt, type..." get an answer from the original poster such as, "How do
I get to a command prompt?" I'm not astounded.

However, despite your seeming annoyance at such lack of knowledge, I
believe I've seen you be quite patient  and helpful with newcomers.  


Anyway, after carefully typing out instructions for a user, and having
them fail because she didn't understand the term "right click", I'm far
more used to it.  (Although in fairness, most of these people simply see
the computer as means to an end, and aren't expected to be computer
literate.  I could digress into a diatribe about how they should have
some training first, but that's simply venting--you folks should just be
glad you have enough knowledge to work in primarily Unix based
environments)

Somewhat enviously yours,

Scott