Baslinux mailing list

["Greg Mayman" <gmone AT tpg.com.au>]

On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:43:45 +1000, Ron Clarke wrote:

> I think I have been a bit misinterpretted here. I suggested using mc
> in order to have a look round, get the hang of the way linux arranges
> its directories and so on.

> Never, and I am sure Greg would confirm this, have a ever even hinted
> that a convenient tool like mc be used INSTEAD of learning Linux
> commands.

That's right. And once I am more familiar with linux, I may put mc aside
and never use it again. But until then, it is very handy.

>  MC is not a "crutch" but a way for someone used to DOS file
> managers, but new to Linux file systems, just to get a feel for the way
> things look.

And for a beginner, that is extremely useful. And to have an editor and
a file viewer available at the touch of a hotkey is so useful when the
new user doesn't know how to open the editor from CLI level -- sheesh! I
don't even know what it is called or what command to enter to invoke it!

> And for me, too - now !  But there was a period right at the beginning when
> it was a very daunting prospect, and this is where I understand the
> trepidation of Linux newbies - it wasn't all that long ago for me.

Hmmm... the changeover could be likened to driving a hire car in an
unfamiliar city. The car's controls, just like the CLI commands, might
be a little different from what you are used to, but they still do
pretty much the same job.

The REALLY hard part is finding your way around.

That's how I see the difference between DOS and linux.

And in such a case, sometimes it's easier to take a bus or a taxi
until you get used to the place.



.   ,-./\
.  /     \     from Greg Mayman, in Adelaide, South Australia
.  \_,-*_/     "Queen City of The South"    34:55 S  138:36 E
.       v