CLI Linux "Gurus"

There are self-proclaimed gurus out there who claim to be long-time Unix/*nix users and they're able to perform any miracle at will. To project their "godliness" onto others, they claim they can do that without using any frontend. While it may be true that some of them are able to set up email servers, ftp servers, web servers and write scripts using just the command line interface, that's just about all that they can do. I must add that usually, their systems are set up with no security in mind, cos they know next to nothing about it. This is due to the fact that their knowledge and skills are limited.

In essence, they cannot see the system as a whole and how individual components affect one another, much less see how their system will interact with other systems.

Imagine how it would be like to encode a video using just the CLI. Yes, there'd only be one command to enter, but to resize, deinterlace or do an inverse telecine , specify the bitrate, how many passes you want...etc, you'd have a long list of switches to type. Some smart alecs will suggest writing a script. I agree that a script would be superior to the GUI if we're dealing with a large number of similar videos that need to be processed, but that is a most unusual situation for most users.

Better still, imagine how it would be like to do a CAD drawing using solely the command line interface. You get what I mean. :-)

There is one question that these CLI "gurus" have never been able to answer satisfactorily. What is so wrong about using the GUI to get things done? The usual answer I get is, "The GUI is for noobs!"

If they're really as talented as they claim to be, then for goodness sake, go out there and contribute to an OSS project. Well, sadly they don't. Run a check on their names (if they're not hiding behind a nick) and you'll get negative results. It's evident that their only talent is in trolling.

Now, do not get me wrong. I have no problems with people who love to use the CLI (I use the CLI to get things done too), but people who insist that everything be done using the CLI had best do themselves a favour by checking into an mental asylum. I've come to believe that these people are nothing more than trolls.

It's not hard to spot such people on the net. In a forum, they seek out every opportunity to troll 24/7 although they sometimes take a break. But once they're released from their padded cells, they'll spring back into action.

The next time you encounter a "guru" behaving like a troll with borderline personality disorder, apply an ignore filter on him and let him go bother a whining noob instead. A "guru" and a whining noob sure make a pair. Actually, in my experience, they do. Most of the time, I see them quarelling the way lovers do. This is so gay. *Lol*