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.