Baslinux mailing list

["S. Porter" <srporter AT gmail.com>]

[closet mode off]

Greetings, Steven, Ron, and all.

Before I begin, Ron, in reinforcing Steven's points, I am in no way jumping 
on you, so please don't take it that way.  I have learned much from you, so 
I know others have, also. We've had too many flames in this forum lately and 
it has become tiring, so I just want to make my position clear before I 
start. :-)

3aoo-cvfd AT dea.spamcon.org wrote:
> It seems to me that your "tool that has a comfortable
> familiar feel" has got Greg into more trouble than it
> was worth.  Surely it's not too difficult for a DOS 
> user to cope with the BL3 commands:  cd, dir, copy, del,
> ren, edit.  Combine those with d (to browse directories
> and view files) and there is absolutely no need for the 
> Midnight Command package and the lynx package (particularly 
> when you are running BL3 on a loop file that has limited
> space for add-ons).

Furthering Steven's point:
In order to develop skills as a power user (which, granted, not all aspire 
to become), one must learn to use the tools at hand by using the tools at 
hand, not by using a crutch (in this case, mc); i.e., in order to learn to 
use linux command line tools, one must use linux command line tools.  I 
think this is especially true with a "lightweight" (in terms of resource 
requirements, not in terms of capability) linux. I do not speak on the 
behalf of other DOS users, but it was an easy step for me to go from the DOS 
command line to the linux command line.

> > Command lines are also wonderfully empowering 

HEAR, HEAR!!! From your fingers to the creator's ears!!!

[start BL CLI promotion mode]

I was having a discourse with another BL user last week and expressed these 
sentiments and was told that I should express them to Steven because he 
seems to receive more complaints than "atta boys", so here it is:

This (the power of the CLI) is exactly why BL has its own niche in the 
endless scheme of distros (and is also why all of us are here in this forum, 
I dare say). It (the CLI) is VERY powerful, and when an operating system of 
such spartan requirements yields such power and capability and flexibility, 
the result is exquisite! I, for one, have been far too negligent in 
expressing to Linus, Patrick V., Rob L., Bernhard, Denis, and (more 
specifically) Steven my gratitude for the tools that they have provided and 
added to, to make linux, busybox and, specifically BL, the magnificent tools 
that they are today!  No, I'm not sucking up to Steven, but I earnestly 
appreciate the time and effort that he and others have dedicated to 
providing a tool that some (I refer not to anyone in particular here) only 
want and expect more from than what it was intended to be.  I refer not to 
the constant pushing of the envelope of development, because I never fail to 
be amazed at the talent and resourcefulness of BL users at adapting to and 
overcoming hurdles and obstacles.  I consider this forum to be an invaluable 
source of support and knowledge.  I have found in this forum a very gung-ho 
group of...loyalists...that continue to extend the usefulness of BL, and I 
appreciate all of the talent that has been exhibited in this forum. It seems 
that we often get a burr under our saddle too quickly and forget that we're 
all here for the same reason; to learn more about BL and how to make it even 
more useful to us than it already is.

> Yes they are, and true DOS users should be very comfortable 
> there.  However point-and-click Windows users (or dedicated
> Norton Commander users, for that matter) may not be so 
> comfortable.

From what I have been reading here over the past month or so, I infer that 
Greg is a fairly new comer to linux.  I know that Ron meant only the best 
when he suggested mc, but it has always been my policy (whether teaching 
others or attempting to learn myself) to begin with the basics first so as 
to provide a good foundation to build upon before introducing them to 
alternative measures.  Otherwise, the basics may not be learned fully enough 
to build upon later, which becomes a hindrance in the "long run".

Regards to all,
Steve