Living with the Linux console. Only.

[qubodup]

Hi debians and debiatantes!

I installed a X-free, minimal Debian sid on one machine and want to make it as ergonomic as possible. My progress is documented here.

My first extended experience with the console was with FreeBSD, which I stopped using though, when I found out that it is (or was) impossible to change the console resolution.

I plan to increase the console font size, make the console display images and videos (at least via ascii), do voice messaging (and maybe video messaging too?) and introduce some basic software and their config files for editing (vim), downloading files (rtorrent, wget), web browsing (still not sure, probably will try all of them) and music (mpd/mpc). I will try to make opengl apps work without X, maybe it *is* possible.. All this I have to learn/research first. If you find some software-choices bad or have ideas for what else can be shown off, I'd gladly read your feedback.

[garrincha]

Nice blog about X-less environment. I spend a couple of days without X and it was boringly nice1

Here's a nice little article on X-less capability with some very useful programs:
http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/bl ... without-x/

[stream304]

That is a great project!

Whenever I install a minimal system, and even though I like to use the command-line for file management, I sometimes splurge and use a file manager.

Many would suggest midnight commander, but I like to pare it down even further and use either lynx or elinks. They're not just for web browsing!

Code: Select all

lynx .

Lets you navigate around just your own user files. You can also direct it outside your home directory

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lynx /usr/share/doc

and peruse at your leisure. Even though you can perform some file management this way, I still use it mostly for browsing the local files.

[Japser]

YES!..... All you need is Lynx....

( I only change its default colors )

Been using it for 15 years now. Daily.

Love every bit of it. It's lean and mean.

--Japser.

[rickh]

Here's the first segment of a series you might find helpful...
A month on the command line -- Day 1

I'll let you figure out how to find the subsequent installments.

[muskrat]

An interesting Post, don't know if I want to build a CL only system. But I do kick the terminal open quite often, and mc is one of my principle file managers.

I find the CLI to have more power and spend evenif it's run on X.

[roadnottaken]

my favorite file manager:

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$ ls

[craigevil]

Just curious, but why in the world would anyone want to run in terminal all the time?

OK I can see if you had a really low-end system, but other than that what's the point?

[qubodup]

Nice blog about X-less environment. I spend a couple of days without X and it was boringly nice1 :lol:

Here's a nice little article on X-less capability with some very useful programs:
http://www.terminally-incoherent.com/bl ... without-x/

Boringly nice ^^

That article was one of the first things google spit out. I am alienated by the window decorations :)

Whenever I install a minimal system, and even though I like to use the command-line for file management, I sometimes splurge and use a file manager.

I tried them but didn't like them. I think i'll stay to cd and ls etc though I'll probably give fmanagers another try some time.

YES!..... All you need is Lynx....

Wow, now that's exotic! I remember using opera as a file browser on Windows, when the Explorer asked me to install some Adobe crap each time I opened it... Lynx can delete files? Change permissions? Get outa here! :D

Here's the first segment of a series you might find helpful...
A month on the command line -- Day 1

Thank you, looks noteworthy (C) Wikipedia

Just curious, but why in the world would anyone want to run in terminal all the time?

OK I can see if you had a really low-end system, but other than that what's the point?

I can think of three motivational points: eliminating distractions, curiosity, aesthetics

Reason would say "use cli and gui!", as obviously there are areas where the cli is dominant/better/faster/more efficient and areas where it isn't.
My main problem is, that if there is a synaptics package manager around, and I'm not getting from apt-get what I want from it on the first try, I will use synaptics. So it's a protection from myself not to have X installed. ;)
I am curious to find out which tasks are absolutely not possible to solve efficiently with the CLI.
And I like minimalism and/or simplicity. In design, the layout, on the hard drive, in the dependencies. Not having X installed also makes me think the computer is clean.
It's mostly in my head I guess, the motivation for all this.

There's a cool article on the distraction thing, was written by the ratpoison guys.

PS: It really is a mind thing, using the CLI makes me feel closer to the config files and to the "truth" while using guis often means that information is hidden plus I can't see any connection. Hmm.. connection. I suppose knowing that settings and config files have a 'place' on the HD make me feel better too... (knowing *where* they are)

[Bro.Tiag]

qubodup, I think this is a grand idea, as well as the natural progression to really sorting out what makes an operating system work. I am always on the look out for cli apps to use.

Cheers

[craigevil]

Dont forget the console games .

pacman4console
bsdgames:Includes these programs: adventure, arithmetic, atc, backgammon, battlestar, bcd, boggle, caesar, canfield, countmail, cribbage, dab, go-fish, gomoku, hack, hangman, hunt, mille, monop, morse, number, pig, phantasia, pom, ppt, primes, quiz, random, rain, robots, sail, snake, tetris, trek, wargames, worm, worms, wump, wtf
rogue
ansciijump
nethack
freesweep
ninvaders

and probably many more.

[qubodup]

Dont forget the console games :).

pacman4console
...
ninvaders

and probably many more. :)

Screw them! OpenGL in ascii!!! :D :D :D http://webpages.mr.net/bobz/ttyquake/

[Japser]

Lynx can delete files?

Yes.

Change permissions?

Yes.

--Japser.

[infinitycircuit]

Use twin. Tee-win lets you run windows insiide the console. It's the coolest thing ever.

http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2007/05/17 ... ike-a-pro/

[Bro.Tiag]

I'd also suggest two apps to include.

1) gpm - general purpose mouse, which provides mouse support at the command line in Linux. &
B. GNU Screen - a free terminal multiplexer developed by the GNU Project. It allows a user to access multiple separate terminal sessions inside a single terminal window or remote terminal session. It is useful for dealing with multiple programs from the command line, and for separating programs from the shell that started the program.

My self being dyslexias, gpm really comes in handy at the command line.

Cheers

[roadnottaken]

Part of the usefulness of the the command line is that it lets you get away from the mouse. Why would I want to reintroduce a mouse to that environment?

Besides, the command line uses emacs keybindings, which are a very efficient way to get around. There is even a keybinding to transpose two characters (or words).

[Telemachus]

Besides, the command line uses emacs keybindings, which are a very efficient way to get around. There is even a keybinding to transpose two characters (or words).

Speak for yourself: my command line uses Vim keybindings.

[Bro.Tiag]

Part of the usefulness of the the command line is that it lets you get away from the mouse. Why would I want to reintroduce a mouse to that environment?

Besides, the command line uses emacs keybindings, which are a very efficient way to get around. There is even a keybinding to transpose two characters (or words).

I think I did a good job of explaining why I like gpm.

My self being dyslexias, gpm really comes in handy at the command line.

Cheers

[stream304]

PS: It really is a mind thing, using the CLI makes me feel closer to the config files and to the "truth" while using guis often means that information is hidden plus I can't see any connection.

That is the key to using a cli - your own mind is the gui.

For us ppc guys, our virtual terminals can look so bad, that sometimes a super minimal window manager and at least one xterm is the ticket. Which window manager to use? It's not fluxbox, it's TWM. (I love fluxbox personally, but for hardcore cli-emulating environment on ppc, just the very basics of xorg and twm are enough.)

One of my all time favorite books comes from 1994, and if you put on bell-bottoms or a pen-protector (your choice), and read it next to your cli-only system, you'll feel as if you were there:

A Quarter Century of Unix
Peter H. Salus
Addison-Wesley publishers
isbn 0-201-54777-5

You know, those guys and gals had it going on back then!

[qubodup]

I don't think I want a mous =) but thx!

I'll just list some valuable sources here: http://www.pixelbeat.org/cmdline.html http://www.linuxcommand.org/ http://www.physics.ubc.ca/mbelab/comput ... ntro/html/

We need a CLL distribution ^^