Re: Noobs should use terminal!
 

I don't own N900, but judging solely on my N810 experience it is safe, but is it necessary, don't think so.

Re: Noobs should use terminal!
 

I use the terminal several times a day and have so far, knock on wood, never done anything that have caused any issues.

For instance, I find using the terminal and the command line to be great for;
- unzipping/unraring/untaring files,
- dpkg / apt-get, ( to install, update and clean)
- certain apps like iptraff, dungeon crawl, etc require you to run them from the command line,
- etc.

If you dont, as a n00b, explore your device outside of the GUI you might as well run Android (which is a great OS).

I'm a total Linux n00b.

Re: Noobs should use terminal!
 

Are you a noob? You don't sound like one. :)

Re: Noobs should use terminal!
 

True, there are a few instances where you need to go to the terminal level but I haven't used Windows terminal in months if not years (except for a batch file I have on my desktop to do a forced shutdown). With Windows, at least, almost everything you need to do has been GUI-fied and stuck somewhere in the Control Panel.

I started in DOS, I know DOS, and I don't want to go back.

Re: Noobs should use terminal!
 

I'm a complete Linux noob.
The things listed represent about 90% of what I know how to do.
No idea what SDK, Qt, etc really means and constantly type dir instead of ls.

Re: Noobs should use terminal!
 

My, let's not go there ;)

Re: Noobs should use terminal!
 

You don't have to be a developer to say that you are familiar with the OS.

Re: Noobs should use terminal!
 

Yes, actually, you can't just install .deb files in the App Manager anymore. You either have to do "dpkg -i packagename.deb" as root, or use <shudder> Red Pill mode.

EDIT: -----------------

A perfect example of this is the /home/user/.osso directory. That has tons of system settings and can be completely wiped out by the user.

EDIT2: Oops, actually there are very few settings left in that directory in Maemo 5...

-----------

Windows has a terminal? ;)

Re: Noobs should use terminal!
 

Being able to brick the thing is one of the big reasons I'm buying it! But of course, I will have full backups of anything that goes on it, including bookmarks with Firefox Weave plugin.

I may be a noob, but I'm not stupid.

Re: Noobs should use terminal!
 

It's statements like that which give Linux an unfair reputation for being a nerds-only OS.

There is absolutely zero need to use command lines on a mobile Linux device, and zero need to use command lines on e.g. Ubuntu.

You can if you want, if you are an advanced user, but ordinary users who just want to check their e-mail and surf the web and listen to music really don't need to go anywhere near any command lines.

Linux is good enough for ordinary users' needs too nowadays, and that's the message we should be getting out if we want Linux to become a mainstream OS.


Well that immediately differentiates you from the average Windows user. The vast majority of Windows users don't even know the command prompt exists.


Newbies are told not to do that because it's ****ing scary, impossible to see how it works, requires prior knowledge, and they will probably go off to buy Windows or OS X instead.

It doesn't matter whether there's potential for damage or not. The problem with a command line is that it is inherently unintuitive.

Clicking on a globe to access the internet, clicking on an envelope to access e-mail, that's intuitive. Typing the word "sudo" followed by some seemingly random letters and numbers is not in any shape or form intuitive.


Let's also kiss goodbye any chance of Linux ever becoming a mainstream OS.