Is the command line the only way to free software?

[gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org (Jerry Feldman)]

There is certainly a conflict between the needs of a relatively
unsophisticated user community and the more sophisticated users. One of
the features that Ubuntu (and derivatives) bring to the marketplace is
that it targets the unsophisticated end user.  But, much of the
traditional Linux community is more sophisticated to professional.

One of the really nice things about Linux and Unix systems is that most
of the system administration configuration is controlled by plain text
files, and is very similar across distros and even different flavors of
Unix. The GUI system admin tools differ by distros. For instance, Red
Hat and Fedora use Python-based tools such as system-config-<name> when
executed from the command line, where SuSE uses YAST, and Debian yet
another.=20

Basically, I don't think that Windows is so easy, but it is what most
end users are familiar with. This is why Vista was a failure, because it
mandated too much change from the popular XP. In context of my first
paragraph, when people who are familiar with Windows come over to Linux,
they are in a foreign world. This is the market that Ubuntu addresses.
But, in making things easier and more intuitive for the unsophisticated
user, it makes it more difficult for the more sophisticated user. David
Kramer made a number of comments about this a while ago, especially in
the change from an inittab-based system to an upstart. I don't want to
get into the debate on init vs. upstart, but I go back to about 1980
when we had /etc/ttys based init that did not have the intelligence to
handle the Raytheon Data Systems terminals. The System V inittab
introduced the concept of run levels. Before that there was single-user
mode where nothing was mounted except for root, and no daemons were
running. (Normally /usr was a mounted file system). Then you had
multi-user mode. With inittab, we generally had run level 1 - single
user mode, run level 2 - multi-user mode no external network, and
run-level 3, full multi-user mode with network,and run level 5 added the
GUI. But, not all Linux distros used the run levels in the same way. One
of the real advantages of inittab is that virtually everything is script
based. As the systems have grown, executing scripts becomes cumbersome.
The ordering of the scripts is based on the directory sort order. First
for each init script, each run level directory needs symlinks in the
form of [SK][0-9][0-9]<name>. The K links are for killing daemons (or
services) and the S links are for starting services. Originally, all the
kill scripts in the current run level would be executed, then the start
scripts in the new run level would be executed. We are more
sophisticated today so that services common to both the old and new run
level would not be changed. There are many good arguments in favor of
changing the old inittab scheme, but sometimes change is difficult,
especially when they are implemented in a single distro.

On 03/17/2010 09:50 AM, jay-R5TnC2l8y5lBDgjK7y7TUQ at public.gmane.org wrote:
> It sounds like your looking for a system similar to the lego mindstorm =
programing.  Basically drag and drop macros that allow the user to build =
and customize based on basic pieces.  I know there are languages and prog=
rams that are working on these types of systems.  However I have not foun=
d anything mainstream or ready for prime time.
>
> Overall modern desktop distros of linux have all the ease and functiona=
lity of windows or osx. The biggest problem the average user will run int=
o is getting hardware to work, this is where often command line work is r=
equired.  These problems are less common on windows, because the manufact=
ures cater to windows.  but they still happen a lot.  This is where tech =
support becomes important.
>
> In reality I think all the averag user really cares about is that it wo=
rks and does so in an "intuiitive" naure.  Few really care about customiz=
ing and creating.  This is more a goal of the enthusiast market, and not =
the main stream.  This kind of thing is show in the gaming market.  Many =
games offer systems to make custome levels, but really few users ever dig=
 into them.  I would wager more than 95% of the custom stuff is created b=
y less than 5% of the user base. Just as it is in foss software.
>  =20


--=20
Jerry Feldman <gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
PGP key id: 537C5846
PGP Key fingerprint: 3D1B 8377 A3C0 A5F2 ECBB  CA3B 4607 4319 537C 5846