Can you use ubuntu without ever using the terminal or editing a config file?

[2cute4u]

OK, we all know that there are times that it's an advantage to be able to change something, by editing a config file, or using the terminal. But is it possible to NEVER HAVE TO do it, and still be able to do everything nessesary to get your system working optimally, and configured the way you want it? I think that's a big part being "ready for the desktop" of average computer users, who are not technically oriented.

[cardinals_fan]

If you buy preinstalled. "Average users" don't install their own OS.

[pp.]

is it possible to NEVER HAVE TO do it, and still be able to do everything nessesary to get your system working optimally, and configured the way you want it?

The system I am typing this on works optimally according to my set of criteria, is configured exactly the way I want it and has never been configured using a CLI or by editing a configuration file.

Some of my other systems are used for testing or for running unusual software, and it's not uncommon to use CLI or config file editing in that case. Some of those systems run Linux, others Windows.

[DoubleClicker]

EDit: deleted my post because I decided it was hijacking the thread

[cardinals_fan]

My daughter first installed mac OS X on a computer when I was 8. it was the easiest thing in the world to do, and it didn't take any technical skills, she just inserted the DVD and clicked a few times.
Your daughter installed it when you were eight? Sorry, but that's just wrong... ;)

Seriously, OS X is different because it is made to work on a very small array of hardware. If Canonical focused every bit of their attention to getting Ubuntu flawless on a few machines, it would have the same seamless installation on those particular machines.

[RiceMonster]

I could do it, but I don't. That's pretty much impossible with Arch though, which is what I use.

[Dr Small]

It's probably possible. But why would you want to? :O

[LaRoza]

Yes, on my hardware, everything works out of the box with no modification. This includes a modern high spec computer, an all in one printer/scanner, a widescreen 22" monitor, and a webcam.

In terms of installations, Linux is the easiest. OS X was hard. Either it works, or it doesn't work. It didn't work for me (on Apple hardware with a supposedly compatible version of OS X, two different versions). Windows is a PITA when it works, because you have to constantly reboot and install drivers for every little thing and then it still complains about it (and this is an OEM install of Windows.)

[Dr Small]

windows is a pita when it works, because you have to constantly reboot and install drivers for every little thing and then it still complains about it (and this is an oem install of windows.)
+1

[oldsoundguy]

Just remember that there is a terminal of some kind in most operating systems. Not sure what it is on Mac, but in XP it is a Command Window or start>run>cmd.
(in actuality, start>run> IS a limited command window .. only it isn't BLACK and frightening!)

Very handy for tweaking or re-setting your internet connection or for running msconfig and shutting off a bunch of un needed start up programs or using msconfig to find some POS program that is locking up your boot up or a malware program that loads at boot or running SFC (system file checker) or for setting up for a chkdisk and de-frag upon the next boot and so on.

Point being .. there IS a TERMINAL or COMMAND window in almost all systems, and it is a useful tool in all of those systems. So why should a terminal window in Linux be so damn frightening to people? They ALL work the same way .. you type in a command (or copy/paste), you hit enter, and what you want done gets done.

I am NOT a programmer by any means and can NOT write actual code, and terminal does not scare me.

[Bölvaður]

I think we can say yes to a point.
I gave my relatives an old computer of mine with Ubuntu 8.04 installed already on it. They are extremely computer illiterate and have no idea how to change screen resolution so forget about the terminal.

With that said I can safely say that that computer has never had any terminal action because of setting things up or fixing things. When I visited them 4 hours ago everything was still working fine after 5 month usage.

[LaRoza]

Just remember that there is a terminal of some kind in most operating systems. Not sure what it is on Mac, but in XP it is a Command Window or start>run>cmd.


It is on a Mac. It is quite like gnome-terminal in fact from what I remember during that brief time.

[swoll1980]

On my dell desktop a fresh ubuntu install will work without the cli or text editing I use the nvidia drivers from nvidia.com, but you could use envy to avoid the cli in that case as well. I use the cli for alot of thing's but that's just because it's just easier a lot of times to use it rather than opening some bulky gui

[blithen]

You can't even use windows without editing a config file. Everytime you switch your preferences you're editing a config file, just not directly and manually, you're just checking boxes and browsing for folders.

[cariboo]

I installed Intrepid alpha6 this morning and didn't use a terminal once, and only had to reboot because when I restarted X somehow the mouse wasn't detected. Whereas yesterday I set up XP for someone I know after their hard drive died, I lost count of the number of times I had to reboot it after six, I know it rebooted at least 8 more times, as I use Project Dakota to install most of the updates and it needs to reboot at least 9 times after installing the updates. I also had to use a command prompt to renew the network connection as it wasn't picking up the gateway ip for some reason.

Jim

[toupeiro]

App and OS configs in Linux are in files. One way, or another, they get edited.


Now, Can you use Windows without editing the registry?

[K.Mandla]

OK, we all know that there are times that it's an advantage to be able to change something, by editing a config file, or using the terminal. But is it possible to NEVER HAVE TO do it, and still be able to do everything nessesary to get your system working optimally, and configured the way you want it? I think that's a big part being "ready for the desktop" of average computer users, who are not technically oriented.
Yup. There are plenty of people who fit that description.

But more importantly, is it possible to never have to use the GUI?

[tom66]

Yup. There are plenty of people who fit that description.

But more importantly, is it possible to never have to use the GUI?

Yes... but it's difficult. I guess whatever text editor you like (nano/vi/emacs...), a simple web browser (lynx/elinks), a music player for CLI (mplayer/vlc). It's possible, but the experience is better with a GUI.

[Luffield]

On my machine I was able to install Ubuntu and cofigure everything from the GUI with both Gutsy and Hardy. On another machine, at work, I had to manually edit xorg.conf to get the resolution right.
We're getting there, I've been using Ubuntu since Breezy and every version is slightly better in this respect.

[lswest]

If you want to get technical, you can't. Even the GUI programs invoke terminal commands and edit files to reflect the changes made. If you mean directly using a terminal and editing files, then you could probably avoid it (but where would all the fun go then?! :P)

[xpod]

Re: Can you use ubuntu without ever using the terminal

Yes.
Even after 2+ years with Ubuntu i still only understand the basics of using the terminal and although i do indeed use it i certainly dont need to.

I`ve actually been using a friends Vista lappy for the last hour(it needed some tlc) and the terminal would seem like a nice break right now me thinks:neutral:

[clanky]

I think it depends on your hardware, I have had to edit my xorg config file in order to make my touchpad work correctly, and I think I had to use the CLI in order to get my wireless interweb and graphics card working properly.

The best way to get any OS to run flawlessly is to by a PC which is pre-configured to run that OS, you are almost guaranteed to that all the hardware will work straight from the box without having to edit stuff. Either that or you have to be really lucky and start off with a PC which only uses hardware which your new OS supports out of the box.

The reason people like windows so much is that it all just works, when the compare the hassle of trying to install another OS on a PC which is configured for windows they think that windows is better because they just switched their PC on and everything worked, I would guess that trying to install windows on an EeePC would be just as much of a ball ache.

[olskar]

Just remember that there is a terminal of some kind in most operating systems. Not sure what it is on Mac, but in XP it is a Command Window or start>run>cmd.
(in actuality, start>run> IS a limited command window .. only it isn't BLACK and frightening!)



I'm pretty sure that commandwindow is black to and it feels more frightening to me then gnome-terminal :)

[Mr.Auer]

In my latest installs of Hardy on amd64 and i686 I didnt need to use the terminal at all. I could do everything thru the GUI. Ok, I did use it since I like it and its faster for some things, but I didnt have to.

With Intrepid alphas, Ive had to resort to terminal a few times, but thats due to things breaking in testing, nothing more :)

[Mr.Auer]

I'm pretty sure that commandwindow is black to and it feels more frightening to me then gnome-terminal :)

Hehe, first thing I do on Gnome is make the terminal background black, and font white ... And if I have compiz running, I also make it trasparent shaded black. Easier on the eyes :D

[fballem]

I'm relatively new to linux and ubuntu - having used windows since version 3.1 and used Vista Ultimate until recently. Although I have used terminal, the majority of the things that I've done (program installations, etc.) could have been done using gui tools.

Adding a repository is a terminal exercise. The repository location itself can be added using a gui, but I think you need the terminal to get the repository key.

Once the correct gui program is found (like nvidia-settings) it makes things much easier for those of us coming from a Windows world.

In getting instructions on the forums, most are presented for using the CLI, but these can generally be 'cut and paste'. It actually became easier once I figured out that to paste text in Terminal you use 'Shift+Ctrl+V' instead of the more commonly used 'Ctrl+V'.

So the short answer is 'yes', with the exceptions noted above. Users will need to understand that there are some operations that will require a Terminal (particularly from the forums). Most posters in the forums are linux experts, so the thought of providing a gui-based alternative to solve the problem is not high in their list. As long as the instructions for using a Terminal are clear (or easily accessible), this is not an insurmountable problem for most new users.

Hope this helps,