Re: [gnome-love] Where to make a policy suggestion?

[Joachim Noreiko <jnoreiko yahoo com>]

--- David Berg <drberg1000 gmail com> wrote:
> On 3/14/06, Joachim Noreiko <jnoreiko yahoo com>
> wrote:
> > Because GUIs are easier to learn and remember. I
> want
> > to focus on the things I am doing, not remembering
> how
> > to apply a patch, how to get a diff out of CVS, or
> how
> > to burn a CD.
>
> Why?  Because some times the command line is more
> efficient than any
> current gui.  You may argue that if that were the
> case then the gui
> needs work.  I would tend to agree but, fixing the
> gui is rarely
> trivial and not always worthy of the time spent.  
> Also, GUIs can grow
> to be very large.  Sticking with the CD burning
> example, which is
> easier:
>
> 1.  Launching Gnomebacker
> 2.  Waiting for it to launch
> 3.  Dragging the directory/selecting the files
> 4.  starting the backup.
> 5.  Repeat every time you want to burn a disk (1-4
> or 3-4)
>
> OR
>
> 1.  Run Gnome backer once to get the commandline
> that works well
> 2.  Create an alias for that command ( burn="mkisofs
> FILENAMES  | cdrecord -" )
> 3.  run `burn FILENAMES`
> 4.  repeat step 3 for every disk you want to burn

Hmm...
1. Open Nautilus burn folder
2. Burn to ISO
3. Right-click on ISO file and choose "Burn to disc"
4. Repeat step 3 as desired.
 
> In example two I'm assuming that you already have a
> terminal open --
> usually the case on my desktop.
>
> You don't necessarily have to remember some arcane
> command -- thats
> what alias is for.

Except that it took me ages to sort out aliases.
Because of some reason I don't understand, there is
bashrc AND bashprofile, and the docs tell you to add
aliases to one while the system reads another --
something to do with one not being an 'interactive
shell', whatever that is. When I tried to file that as
a bug it boomeranged back with the usual 'you're not
l33t enough to understand this' subtext.
We have an awful lot of legacy inconsistencies
floating around in command line space.
 
> If I don't make any points with that, let me throw
> out another reason.
>  Now and then a fellow wants a task automated that
> doesn't need any
> user interaction ( or minimal interaction ).  When
> that is the case,
> one needs to know how to write a script.  (I hope
> you aren't going to
> try to argue that scripts are unnecessary also.)

No, they're not unnecessary.
But have you seen Apple's Automator? ;)

> Many of linux users (I would wager 90% of linux
> users until recent
> years) use linux because of the command line (among
> other reasons). 

And that is one of our major problems. We're not on
the same level as the users we are hoping to reach
with GNOME.

> It is definately not for everyone, but we need some
> users that
> understand the system intamately so that the great
> programs like gnome
> can continue to get developed.  The users who
> already know the
> information won't be with us for ever and should try
> to recruit new
> ones when we can.  I think making the commands
> available is a great
> way to do that.

Yes, that is an excellent point.

I do think this is a valid idea, and yes, if it were
to be developed I would check it out.
I am just wary of the 'command line is the ultimate'
mindset, and I tend to play devil's advocate against
it :)


        
        
                
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