PDA

View Full Version : Would you use Linux if there was no GUI?



init1
July 7th, 2007, 04:34 PM
This was inspired by the thread about GUI's and the Linux experience. I wanted to add a poll for this.
Yes, I would.

MikeDX
July 7th, 2007, 04:37 PM
I probably wouldnt use it as my main OS if there were no GUI, however I would (and do) use linux on a daily basis for a server, which has no gui.

Biochem
July 7th, 2007, 04:40 PM
No GUI on a desktop, absolutely not.

I do understand the no GUI for server and scripts in CLI enable us do do very powerful and custom stuff. But for every day common task GUI is what makes computer accessible to the mass. IMHO CLI and GUI are essential.

walkerk
July 7th, 2007, 04:40 PM
I probably wouldnt use it as my main OS if there were no GUI, however I would (and do) use linux on a daily basis for a server, which has no gui.

wouldn't be too practical imo. i use command line everyday but w/ out a gui it would take away from the experience..

cobrn1
July 7th, 2007, 04:43 PM
For a server no GUI is fine, but for a desktop you really need a GUI, and the best solution is to use both when best applicable - I use the GUI for 90% of things but fine the CLI much better for 10%, and I find both really valuable...

fuscia
July 7th, 2007, 04:43 PM
no. aside from listening to streaming radio (which is fine when using mplayer in the console), i mostly browse. i just can't look at text browsers for very long and using the directional keys to navigate a forum page is a sure way to push me over the edge. i'd probably just go outside more.

Outrunner
July 7th, 2007, 04:46 PM
Sure, browse the web with Lynx all day, listen to music with Madplay and play Crawl, all I ever need. Of course, I'd still need Windows for other things like graphical games...

By the way, I messed up the poll sorry guys. I meant to vote Yes but chose No. My bad :(

Hex_Mandos
July 7th, 2007, 04:49 PM
Not on the desktop. There's little I'd be able to do without a GUI. I'd rather use FreeDOS, as DOS had some decent desktop programs back in the day.

illu45
July 7th, 2007, 05:00 PM
Probably not, no. Lynx isn't bad as a browser, but as fuscia pointed out, its still much easier to browse stuff like forums on a graphical browser. Also, I'd miss my video playback.

maniacmusician
July 7th, 2007, 05:04 PM
I'd use it, but not as a desktop obviously. I'd just move on along to BSD, probably.

tehkain
July 7th, 2007, 05:08 PM
Not on a desktop but yes on my servers, routers, firewalls, media devices, and NAS

init1
July 7th, 2007, 05:16 PM
Probably not, no. Lynx isn't bad as a browser, but as fuscia pointed out, its still much easier to browse stuff like forums on a graphical browser. Also, I'd miss my video playback.
What about BB, AA, and Caca? You can play video with cacaxine.

energiya
July 7th, 2007, 05:19 PM
Yes, but not on my desktop PC. ;)

Kayne
July 7th, 2007, 05:29 PM
Never.

jclmusic
July 7th, 2007, 05:36 PM
nope! an OS without a GUI would bore me. i am capable of learning all the codes, but why would i want to do so exclusively?

Taino
July 7th, 2007, 05:44 PM
I would still use it with no GUI but mostly as a server, firewall, etc, mostly on the network.

Even with no GUI its still way better than windows at network things and way more secure.

+1 for yes. :popcorn:

Warpnow
July 7th, 2007, 05:45 PM
No chance in hell.

n0dl
July 7th, 2007, 05:47 PM
sure, why not. I did it for about a year once

mudra
July 7th, 2007, 05:48 PM
I use a server (SMESERVER) with no GUI, but would not use it on my desktop without. I guess I am just lazy ;-)

Mudra

smoker
July 7th, 2007, 05:50 PM
i use a desktop, without a gui, i would move to some other os. yes, i know you can do a lot through the cli, but not me, not even remotely interested...

deepclutch
July 7th, 2007, 05:53 PM
answer is: will you use Vista without gui shell(there is nothing other than this in windows?) :D

forrestcupp
July 7th, 2007, 05:59 PM
No way. We're not living in the 1970's folks. And I'm not just running a server.

The only reason to run a GUI-less OS on the desktop is for nostalgia, not to do anything serious.

AndyCooll
July 7th, 2007, 06:11 PM
No. I've only ever used OS's using a gui, and am not a programmer. I've come to appreciate the power of the command line but I've never tried to use it for everything I do and have no desire to try and begin to.

:cool:

Stew2
July 7th, 2007, 06:25 PM
Kind of an interesting question. I don't even think I would be using a computer if there was no GUI. I mostly use it for email and surfing, wouln't be much fun without pretty pictures :D

Epilonsama
July 7th, 2007, 06:41 PM
No cuz I use a desktop PC, if it were a server PC then Ill prolly wont use the GUI.

%hMa@?b<C
July 7th, 2007, 06:45 PM
no way. I have a server with no gui and a firewall with no gui, but for a desktop a gui makes the experience a lot easier. sometimes other family members use my pc and without a GUI they would get way too frustrated.

thedaemon
July 7th, 2007, 06:45 PM
Yes, but I would still have to use graphical applications. I mainly do 3d animation so they would have to work. I would still have to be able to multi task too. As long as the applications were graphical I would say yeah.

qpieus
July 7th, 2007, 06:52 PM
I would not use it for my desktop pc, but I would use it for my file/print server.

IYY
July 7th, 2007, 08:51 PM
I'd still use it on the server, and maybe as a coding workstation, but certainly not as my desktop computer.

tbroderick
July 7th, 2007, 09:05 PM
and using the directional keys to navigate a forum page is a sure way to push me over the edge. i'd probably just go outside more.

I disagree. I find it much easier to use keys either directional or page up/page down. And the mouse works without X . That's what gpm is for.

init1
July 7th, 2007, 09:30 PM
no. aside from listening to streaming radio (which is fine when using mplayer in the console), i mostly browse. i just can't look at text browsers for very long and using the directional keys to navigate a forum page is a sure way to push me over the edge. i'd probably just go outside more.
Actually, in links (and maybe lynks also) you use ctrl+p/ctrl+n to scroll, and left/right for going back and forward.

FuturePilot
July 7th, 2007, 09:39 PM
Not as my main OS. How would I browse the interwebs?

euler_fan
July 7th, 2007, 09:43 PM
If I had a compelling reason to I think i would, but at the moment I can't think of one . . . Honestly I like the GUI for a number of everyday things and am slowly growing to do more and more "rodent free" and a little bit more in the CLI . . .

One of these days I would like to make a concerted effort to learn bash, but for me the biggest thing is that I don't really want to memorize hundreds of shell commands to get things to do what I want.

macogw
July 7th, 2007, 10:58 PM
I put no, but I just realized I should put "not sure" because on a server I don't want a GUI to even be installed, let alone use it. For desktop, though, GUI is just as necessary as the command line. For just the reason FuturePilot said, too. Web browsing with Lynx kind of sucks. I mean, I make sure my sites work with it usually, but I like seeing pictures, and Unis that use Blackboard have webmail that requires Java in-browser (stupid!!!!!!), and my school is one of them.

init1
July 8th, 2007, 02:40 AM
Not as my main OS. How would I browse the interwebs?
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/internets.php

w3m www.thesitethatyouwanttostartwith.com
sudo apt-get install links
links
That's how.

init1
July 8th, 2007, 02:42 AM
I put no, but I just realized I should put "not sure" because on a server I don't want a GUI to even be installed, let alone use it. For desktop, though, GUI is just as necessary as the command line. For just the reason FuturePilot said, too. Web browsing with Lynx kind of sucks. I mean, I make sure my sites work with it usually, but I like seeing pictures, and Unis that use Blackboard have webmail that requires Java in-browser (stupid!!!!!!), and my school is one of them.
cacaview. Allows you to view bitmaps with text. There are probably other solutions also.
I can use ubuntu forums with links, but not my email. Can't do that with dillo, either.

init1
July 8th, 2007, 02:48 AM
Edit:
Double submission

steveneddy
July 8th, 2007, 03:27 AM
I did once. But running Beryl via CLI didn't haven't have the same effect on me as with a GUI.

init1
July 8th, 2007, 03:42 AM
I did once. But running Beryl via CLI didn't haven't have the same effect on me as with a GUI.
You can run Beryl in CLI? How?

technomaniac
July 8th, 2007, 03:49 AM
For my laptop and desktop: No
For the cluster deployed at my college: Yes

For a desktop user, GUI is a necessity. On my personal PCs, I rarely need to use the command line, except in some cases where command lines gets the work done much faster. Now that we have such fire-breathing graphics card and multi-core CPUs why would we still stick to the command line. GUI is so much better to look at and for people like me with bad memory, who need to frequently see man pages for using commands, GUI is a boon.

I use the command line on my cluster where I dont want the overhead and performance loss of running a GUI. Also tasks can be repeated or made to run on their own with shell scripting, and so its a necessity on my cluster.

init1
July 8th, 2007, 04:24 AM
For my laptop and desktop: No
For the cluster deployed at my college: Yes

For a desktop user, GUI is a necessity. On my personal PCs, I rarely need to use the command line, except in some cases where command lines gets the work done much faster. Now that we have such fire-breathing graphics card and multi-core CPUs why would we still stick to the command line. GUI is so much better to look at and for people like me with bad memory, who need to frequently see man pages for using commands, GUI is a boon.

I use the command line on my cluster where I dont want the overhead and performance loss of running a GUI. Also tasks can be repeated or made to run on their own with shell scripting, and so its a necessity on my cluster.
I guess it depends on what you define as a "desktop user".


sudo apt-get install twin
twin

That's a desktop, right?

jotagab
July 8th, 2007, 12:25 PM
Like I sometimes say in meat-world: What kind of question is that?!
First, if Linux had no GUI, probably there would be no Ubuntu, so neither this forum nor this question would ever arise.
Second, software evolves for all O.S., so you cannot cripple one and let the others go! That means this question should go something like: Would you still use Linux if no O.S. had a GUI?
I answered yes. Besides I did use Linux with no GUI, back in early 90s (93 I think), when the kernel version was still in 0. versions. No Windows 95 at that time, and yes, I preferred CLI Linux au lieu de MS Windows 3.1.
Cheers!

afljafa
July 8th, 2007, 12:28 PM
I used it for six years without a GUI - so yes I guess I would.

SunnyRabbiera
July 8th, 2007, 01:54 PM
Id probably have a mac :D

slimdog360
July 8th, 2007, 01:56 PM
If I ran servers then yes, otherwise no.

feravolo
July 8th, 2007, 07:04 PM
Yes, But why would we have to ?

init1
July 8th, 2007, 07:13 PM
Yes, But why would we have to ?
No reason, just a hypothetical question.
Command line distros are useful for recovery or fast boot.

fredbird67
March 10th, 2008, 12:55 AM
...X stands for coolness, the masses wants to buy products that have an X in it. Take for example Windows XP, OSX and XXX....

Cobrn1, let's not forget there's also Xfce. HA!

But me, there's no way I'd even consider Linux if the only way you could use it was with a command line, because I'd have to think. LOL But in all seriousness, I can see the reason for not having a GUI on a Linux server, although I've heard that some pros do have it on there anyway, usually in the form of a lightweight GUI like Xfce or Fluxbox. But as for a desktop system, it wouldn't be very practical at all without a GUI.

beercz
March 10th, 2008, 01:02 AM
I already use linux without a GUI - I maintain several Debian servers using the CLI only.

Much like the way I used PCs before MS Windows came along.....

pbpersson
March 10th, 2008, 01:10 AM
As far as I'm concerned, using the command line for everyday tasks went out with DOS

I feel I am much better with the mouse because I don't need to worry about how to spell stuff or whether it is upper case or not

People claim they can do really complicated things from the command line....maybe we need to create GUIs so we can do stuff just as complicated at a much faster speed

Whenever I need to do command line stuff I spend time researching just how the syntax goes because the command line is so unforgiving

Give me a quick and easy GUI and I'm happy :)

pbpersson
March 10th, 2008, 01:14 AM
First, if Linux had no GUI, probably there would be no Ubuntu, so neither this forum nor this question would ever arise.

So.....is that like a temporal causality loop? I already have a headache, are you trying to make it worse? :o

walsh416
March 10th, 2008, 01:15 AM
.
But me, there's no way I'd even consider Linux if the only way you could use it was with a command line, because I'd have to think.
Much agreed. I'd almost rather prefer my old windows machine to a Linux distro w/out a GUI. ALMOST

munkyeetr
March 10th, 2008, 01:16 AM
Desktop - No
Server - Yes

SonicSteve
March 10th, 2008, 01:18 AM
I can say for sure not. I grew up with DOS, I learnt how to use it. However I prefer the gui style of OS even for servers. Just because something is CLI doesn't mean it won't have bugs. Sure the gui can mis-interpret the config file, but the config file can also be configured perfectly in CLI and the end result can be other than what you're expecting.

I like to know the CLI behind the GUI but I still prefer the GUI.

Chame_Wizard
March 10th, 2008, 01:18 AM
KDE FTW on desktop/laptop:guitar:

Mattaus
March 10th, 2008, 01:58 AM
I'm using Linux as a replacement for Windows. As such 99.999999% of the programs I use are HEAVILY dependant on a GUI.

Kabezon
March 10th, 2008, 02:30 AM
I wouldn't, no GUI on a Desktop doesn't make much sense.

SloYerRoll
March 10th, 2008, 03:16 AM
Desktop - No
Server - Yes

I agree. Good answer.

Jeff Rage
March 10th, 2008, 02:32 PM
Absolutely not.

AndyCooll
March 10th, 2008, 02:43 PM
Desktop - No
Server - Yes

Agreed. Indeed I run a couple of command line only servers.

I use a gui most of the time, but like the flexibility that the command line gives for certain tasks.

So having a gui with no command line would be terrible, and equally I wouldn't use Linux if it was command line only. I like having the choice.

:cool:

BDNiner
March 10th, 2008, 03:01 PM
If there was not GUI it would become a server, I am putting together a small home server anyways. but a big part of my home computing experience is the internet. And i don't see the internet working as well without a gui. just image what the popup ads would be like.

AndyCooll
March 10th, 2008, 03:53 PM
If there was not GUI it would become a server, I am putting together a small home server anyways. but a big part of my home computing experience is the internet. And i don't see the internet working as well without a gui. just image what the popup ads would be like.
That's not true. Just because it doesn't have a gui doesn't make it a server. It only becomes a server if it "serves" something, e.g. files. You can perform just about every daily function if you so wished without a gui (e.g. Internet, e-mail, playing music, creating documents, IM etc). The only difference would be that you would be doing these via the command line rather than graphically.

It's simply that for most of us, the only time we consider a command line only system is on our servers. However it doesn't have to be that way.

:cool:

hyper_ch
March 10th, 2008, 04:02 PM
My debian etch server has no gui... so i guess you know the answer.

OrangeCrate
March 10th, 2008, 04:13 PM
No.

aaaantoine
March 10th, 2008, 04:21 PM
The only CLI OS I had since 1995 was Red Hat in 2002, and the only reason I didn't run X by default was because the computer I ran it on only had 32MB RAM.

Could I live with a CLI OS? Possibly. Would I choose to if I had sufficient resources? No.

joshdudeha
March 10th, 2008, 04:31 PM
No, I use the CLI quite a lot.
but, still especially for the rest of my family, a GUI is necessary
Also, I think, that it would scare a lot of new Linux users away if they wanted to try it as an alternative to Windows. For the experienced, then it might be a decent idea.

But for the "end-user". No.

BDNiner
March 10th, 2008, 04:56 PM
That's not true. Just because it doesn't have a gui doesn't make it a server. It only becomes a server if it "serves" something, e.g. files. You can perform just about every daily function if you so wished without a gui (e.g. Internet, e-mail, playing music, creating documents, IM etc). The only difference would be that you would be doing these via the command line rather than graphically.

It's simply that for most of us, the only time we consider a command line only system is on our servers. However it doesn't have to be that way.

:cool:

Yeah i know all of that is possible. i was trying to say that since the internet has become a very visual experience, the experience from command line would be vastly different from a full blown browser. Most local tasks can be run fine from the command line since you are just calling programs, but if you do more than just download news feeds and check e-mail from the internet then it becomes harder from the command line. Like i could not check my fantasy sports team from the command line, i would find the experience weird for lack of a better word.

Lostincyberspace
March 10th, 2008, 05:02 PM
What Linux has a gui! :shock:

No wonder it takes me three hours to install!

Cope57
March 10th, 2008, 05:40 PM
Yes, I would...

But personally, I believe computers in general should only be CLI.

For one, not everyone would have a PC, and "the average user" would not exist.
Therefore you would either be a computer geek or not.

But in today's world, we have 95% of the computer users in the world running Microsoft operating systems. Which equals to many "average users" without a clue.

The scary part is how many are waking up, and educating themselves about computers, operating systems, and open source software while becoming a above average user.

It is just a shame that 90% or more of the questions asked here in the forums can be asked by going to Google (http://www.google.com), but still many refuse to do so.

I usually Google the questions people have here in the forums and post the answer for them because they were to lazy to do it themselves.

If Linux was only CLI, I would not have to deal with so many stupid questions...

just my ¢¢

qazwsx
March 10th, 2008, 05:43 PM
Why not. Sounds very intresting challenge.

I like CLI and it is allways better than badly designed and buggy frontend gui. I can watch telly with mplayer, use links2 -g for browsing internet. GUI is not really that mandatory for me. :popcorn:

Bungo Pony
March 10th, 2008, 05:53 PM
Depends on the context of what "without a GUI" means. Using Linux with just the command line? NO. The GUI needs to be replaced with something else.

If it's replaced with a TUI - using textual menus without all the pretty graphics, SURE! I wrote textual menus for my C-64 to make things easier for myself - they were easy to use and faster than using a mouse. If there's an interface that behaves as a purely textual menu where I just have to punch number or letter combinations to start apps, I'd definately use it!

Zeotronic
March 10th, 2008, 06:15 PM
Not sure.

I would probably use still use it... but I would likely have never gotten into it in the first place, so that defeats my first statement doesn't it?

Iceni
March 10th, 2008, 06:46 PM
I generally use linux without a gui on one of my older laptops, so I'll say yes:)

solitaire
March 10th, 2008, 06:51 PM
I would not mind but it's hard on the eyes watching movies using ASCII-art....

bobbocanfly
March 10th, 2008, 06:51 PM
I probably wouldnt use it as my main OS if there were no GUI, however I would (and do) use linux on a daily basis for a server, which has no gui.

+1.

If ncurses got a little more sophisticated/easier to use/prettier i would probably use it for a desktop.

qazwsx
March 10th, 2008, 07:03 PM
I would not mind but it's hard on the eyes watching movies using ASCII-art....
You can watch movies in real quality with framebuffer.
For example mplayer -vo fbdev

BTW media center called Geexbox runs in text mode using framebuffer.

drbob07
March 10th, 2008, 08:02 PM
I put not sure because it was the closest thing to Yes/No

If I really wanted Linux around (as a hobby), I might use it CLI-only on an old machine. But there's no way I'd "waste" a dual core processor on a CLI... Gotta have my Compiz :F

toupeiro
March 11th, 2008, 01:21 AM
Let me spin this question a different way:

COULD you use windows if there was no GUI?


How about the fact that you COULD use linux as a functional and robust OS without a GUI versus the alternative, (at least until server core 2008, at which point Windows admins better remember their DOS. /sarcasm )

fissionmailed
March 11th, 2008, 01:25 AM
Yes, I like Linux for how the OS works, not how pretty it is. Oh course, it would be a much steeper learning curve, but I'd have to say yes.

klange
March 11th, 2008, 01:32 AM
I think I'd be one of the people saying "why isn't there a GUI? Let's go port X to it!"

bconover
October 20th, 2008, 09:00 AM
Nah, I would never run desktop Linux without a GUI. Though when I want to run a program nice and fast I will skip the fancy DE.

(I also will run without the DE when someone wants to use my computer, just to watch them squirm :) )

But I still need my vids and pics, so no command-line only for me.

TenPlus1
October 20th, 2008, 09:59 AM
Would you use MS-DOS ?

MaxIBoy
October 20th, 2008, 10:08 AM
I would still use it if there was no GUI anymore. However, if there never had been a GUI, definitely not.

regomodo
October 20th, 2008, 10:11 AM
#

master5o1
October 20th, 2008, 10:19 AM
If I was blind. Maybe.

tjandracom
October 20th, 2008, 10:58 AM
if i lived in 1970s, yes.
now? hell NO...

ashmew2
October 20th, 2008, 11:00 AM
Would you solely use C:\windows\cmd.exe ? :D

Scruffynerf
October 20th, 2008, 11:10 AM
Nope. Certainly not on a desktop or laptop

sanderella
October 20th, 2008, 03:54 PM
I couldn't use Linux if there was no GUI, I am so dumb.:KS

ModelM
October 20th, 2008, 05:53 PM
Maybe I'm one of the few people here who has done this (well, with Unix instead of Linux).

Many years ago I had a dialup Unix shell account as my ISP. Using a terminal program like Minicom you called into their computer with your modem, logged in, and were then presented with a command prompt. I knew nothing about Unix (It was SunOS at the time, later upgraded to the new Solaris). I had no books or friends to ask questions.

None of this was a problem, however, because I *love* messing around with different operating systems. I just started putzing around and discovered apropos & the man pages & soon was surfing the web using Lynx, using pine & tin for email & news, IRC II for chat, etc.

I had a lot of fun with that account and learned to love Unix & Unix-like operating systems, as well.

Northsider
October 20th, 2008, 06:54 PM
From a desktop user, I would not even think about using an OS with no GUI. In fact, if Ubuntu had any less GUI I'd scrap it. I'm not patient enough to learn a whole bunch of CLIs. Call it lazy, call it whatever you want...I prefer GUI over CLI.

Arabiest
October 20th, 2008, 07:21 PM
without GUI means going back to the DOS age and this is not anymore an option since there many OS that wont trade GUI for any thing....Its the GUI that made things easier for ppl and ppl have many options to cjoose from...so dont you dare....hehehe

CorvisRex
October 20th, 2008, 07:38 PM
For a server, without a doubt, or anything else in which a gui is not needed, but alas, as a desktop, alas, no. For obvious reasons. But there would still be a need ofr it.

notwen
October 20th, 2008, 07:39 PM
not likely on my daily usage machine.

i do however, run a bare debian etch install running ftp, upnp and apache. this machine has no gui installed. =]

klange
October 20th, 2008, 08:07 PM
I said this the last time this topic was up here: I'd be the one porting X to Linux if this were the situation.

wulfhound
October 20th, 2008, 08:13 PM
This question is kind of weird.

I mean, use for what? Would you use Windows or Mac if there was no gui? Again, for what?

So my answer was no, but in reality, I won't use anything if there isn't a gui. However, 70% of all things I do inside my OS, I do inside the terminal.....so I'm not a huge fan of gui's in general.

I was just wondering what your question really means...

tenghoward
October 20th, 2008, 08:21 PM
I probably won't use it. I am a GUI person. :guitar:

DeadSuperHero
October 20th, 2008, 08:45 PM
I went without it for a month.

I really, REALLY missed the GUI, though.

Daggo
October 20th, 2008, 08:52 PM
I started using linux using the GUI. The more linux I use, the farther apart I sway from the GUI and go to the CLI. If linux were pure CLI, I probably wouldnt have been interested in it to start with and would have stuck with anything else.

ddarsow
October 20th, 2008, 09:00 PM
This is not a well crafted question. Use it for what? I have used Linux to run a server with no GUI and would prefer it any day over a Windows based server, but for a normal desktop? No way.
I guess my answer is...it depends!

server duty? YES
personal computer? NO
work computer? NO

Northsider
October 20th, 2008, 09:23 PM
This question is kind of weird.

I mean, use for what? Would you use Windows or Mac if there was no gui? Again, for what?

How is it weird? I found it to be very straightforward. Would you use it? Period. Would I use Windows if there was no GUI? No. Would I use linux if there was no GUI? No. Does it really need to be specific, I mean, I just assumed "use linux" meant use it for whatever you use it for.

Would you drive a car with no stereo? Drive it where? Drive it how? Does it really matter? Where ever and however you drive it, would you if it had no stereo?


This is not a well crafted question. Use it for what? I have used Linux to run a server with no GUI and would prefer it any day over a Windows based server, but for a normal desktop? No way.
I guess my answer is...it depends!

server duty? YES
personal computer? NO
work computer? NO
Again, I didn't think it needed clarification. "Use it" meant for whatever you use it for. Your list at the bottom of the post answered your own confusion, I guess you would call it, over what the question asked.

zmjjmz
October 20th, 2008, 09:30 PM
Although I apparently voted yes, now that I think of it I probably wouldn't of even heard of it if it didn't have a GUI.

init1
October 20th, 2008, 09:34 PM
Would you use MS-DOS ?
I use FreeDOS
http://www.freedos.org

chucky chuckaluck
October 21st, 2008, 03:58 PM
were it not for my heavy use of images in gimp and collecting them from the internet, i probably could. i would like the layout to be a little more easily controlled in the console if i were to go that route, though.

edit: oops! forgot about k3b.

Piraja
October 21st, 2008, 04:08 PM
First I thought NO, but then I remembered I have this Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook 755Tx with 32 MB RAM, running Damn Small Linux at the moment (well not at the very moment, I'm not writing this on that machine). Might be an idea to convert it into something GUI(le)less... So YES, I might give it a try.

will1911a1
October 21st, 2008, 04:08 PM
I wouldn't. I still play a couple games (Starcraft, Wesnoth) and enjoy watching videos online. I could (and do) live with a CLI music player and word processor though.

ashmew2
October 21st, 2008, 05:11 PM
I use FreeDOS
http://www.freedos.org

You couldnt post your comment with freedos.... :P

Dragonbite
October 21st, 2008, 06:12 PM
I am only now treading into the waters of CLI by setting up Ubuntu Server. I have a GUI on my laptop's Ubuntu naturally.

If there never was a GUI for Linux then I would probably never have gotten into Linux and therefore would not have learned as much as I have so as to feel brave enough to try a GUI-less Server installation.

(that and finding HowToForge.org which goes step-by-step at configuring things without needing a GUI.)

jespdj
October 21st, 2008, 06:50 PM
Ofcourse not. But this is a silly poll. I would also not use Windows or any other OS if it didn't have a GUI.

Linux would be quite useless to me if I couldn't run for example Firefox, Eclipse, NetBeans, GIMP, OpenOffice etc.

billgoldberg
October 21st, 2008, 06:54 PM
I don't think much people would be using Linux in this day and age if there wasn't a GUI available for it.

CLI only might work better in some cases (servers) but not on desktops.

I use the CLI a lot on my Ubuntu machines, but in addition to the GUI, not as an replacement.

Compucore
October 21st, 2008, 07:12 PM
I would probably use it even with a command line mode only. But What I would most likely do and I have seen this on a AIX machine and I had done it when learning pascal in DOS. I would more likely personalize a ascii menu to make it a simple menuing system. But thats just my weird and wacky ways of doing things.:D

COmpucore

fballem
October 21st, 2008, 07:16 PM
If there were no gui, or the gui was good, then I would be using Windows. I remember DOS days, and not always fondly.

Whatever else you say about Windows, it has been very helpful to end users, allowing us to do things that we could only dream of. As one example, we can now produce documents that look very professional.

A bad gui (Windows Vista and Office 2007) was one major reason that I took a look at ubuntu. I can use the Terminal when I have to, but I would not want to be using it for 'normal tasks' on a daily basis.

drubin
October 21st, 2008, 07:17 PM
Our servers have NO GUI only ssh access :) so yes I would/do use it.

david_lynch
October 21st, 2008, 09:32 PM
On the desktop? you gotta be kidding. No way. But on the server, sure.

Phreaker
October 21st, 2008, 09:42 PM
Desktop with no GUI, would be quite 1337 :)

init1
October 21st, 2008, 09:51 PM
You couldnt post your comment with freedos.... :P
Actually, I'm posting this in FreeDOS right now with the Arachne web browser :D

evilkastel
October 22nd, 2008, 05:53 AM
My first reaction was "HELL NOES!!!" but now i think it over, I might try. I'll always love how things are easier in linux terminal... but i love GUI.

toupeiro
October 22nd, 2008, 08:02 AM
I think like earlier posters, my default answer was no, but then I actually gave it a little bit more thought.. I thought about how I typically work on remote UNIX/Linux systems. I use SSH, I set Display variables back to my X server and I work entirely from the CLI on that remote machine unless I need to launch something graphical, which case just the application is pulled back to me.

Fact is, I find the CLI to be way more efficient for me, but its obviously not as pretty or user friendly. That being said, I would use linux even if it did not have a GUI interface as long as I had access to an X server. But, I also recognize I would be the minority in this respect. And, lets not dissect this into "X server is a GUI." I think its clear on where I am drawing the lines of what a GUI is in respect to Linux as an OS. Xserver is a daemon, KDE and Gnome are GUI's. :)

SomeGuyDude
October 22nd, 2008, 08:15 AM
No, this is idiotic. My daily business involves a lot more than typing and looking at words. I'm watching a movie right now, for example.

Dev'olution
October 22nd, 2008, 08:31 AM
I use the CMD on a server but if i was to base it on desktop, then surely, it'd have to be gui.

NE Key
October 22nd, 2008, 10:46 AM
Without the GUI I couldn't use linux.

ashmew2
October 22nd, 2008, 01:51 PM
Actually, I'm posting this in FreeDOS right now with the Arachne web browser :D

haha nice :D

Is there any command line browser like elinks/lynx for ms-dos ?