I'm a Linux noob, but I'm very familiar with a DOS prompt from way back in the dark days before Windows (or Linux) to include using Novell Netware as my fileserver which had a "GUI" that consisted of ANSI characters.

Of course you can get in trouble working at that level of an operating system, just like you can get yourself in trouble opening the hood of a car and unplugging different things on your engine. But a global rule that noobs shouldn't use terminal is a bit drastic. Like I said, I'm new to Linux, but in just using GUI methods I've already "messed up" my N810 twice to the point that I had to resort to the terminal to resolve the problem. I guess I could've just reflashed it, but that's not exactly for the faint of heart either. In my career as a network engineer, I've also known plenty of people who don't know what a DOS prompt is, but yet they managed to mess up their Windows installation quite nicely without ever leaving the "safe" GUI.

Anyone who isn't practicing proper backup techniques of any system are simply not being realistic when it comes to operating electronic devices, whether dinking around in terminal, DOS prompt, etc. or not. If a complete noob wants to dink around in terminal, and (on the very rare chance) ends up putting the right combination of commands and options together to delete everything, and doesn't have a current backup of their system, well...I would have to call them....a customer. And they're welcome hire me ($ CHA-CHING $) as a consultant to correct these issues at any time.

-- Chris