On 2008-02-05, Hans-Peter Diettrich <DrDiettrich1@aol.com> wrote:
> Magnate wrote:
>
>> IMO the basic issue is that Windows users do not comprehend that Linux
>> is configured and maintained using plain text files. The configuration
>> and maintenance of Windows is so (deliberately) opaque that they do
>> not understand that an OS can be completely transparent and
>> user-configurable.
>
> Windows also started with textal configuration files (*.ini), but due to
> the lack of a usable system for managing multiple users, a new system
> has been invented. An interesting experiment, nowadays we know more ;-)
>
>> Once that understanding dawns, comfort levels with
>> the command line soar, since editing text files is no harder than in
>> the GUI.
>
> Of course it is harder! Not the process of editing per se, but *what* to
> enter, delete or change, and *where*, requires additional knowledge.

"Wizards" were originally shell scripts. There are many still in use.
Just because the ones used with KDE are dressed in a lot eye candy and
rely on a mouse doesn't make them fundamentally different.

And the shell script "wizards" are much easier to understand and
modify. Try doing that with a KDE "wizard". When they fail you
are up the creek without a paddle.

As for the purely manual approach, the information is available to
edit the text configuration files is available. Easily available.
On your box or on the web.


> A GUI can offer only valid settings for every parameter, or
> validate user entries, and can present context sensitive help.

So can a shell script "wizard".

> Even if explanations can be put into text files as well, a text
> editor cannot check or validate user input.

Here we have someone else referring to KDE as a "GUI". KDE is a large
collection of X applicationss and utilities, including a window manager,
built on the foundation of a GUI.

The GUI exists with, or without, KDE/Gnome. It existed a long time
before they were even conceived.

There are apparently a lot of truly ignorant people teaching Linux
on the Usenet.


Tom


--
calhobbit (at)
gmail [DOT] com