"Cheat Sheet" Proves Ubuntu Still Has a Long Way To Go

by Rich Menga on Apr 23, 2008 | 17 comments

First of all I want to say it’s very cool of FOSSwire to have posted an Ubuntu “Cheat Sheet” listing in a very easy-to-read rundown of terminal commands.

But in all seriousness, just looking at this sheet just gives you an itty-bitty glimpse into all the command line crap you have to learn with Ubuntu (and Linux distributions in general).

Would /etc/init.d/gdm restart make any sense to a casual computer user? Or gksudo nautilus? Or sudo iwlist scan?

Not a chance.

Again, I'll say it's cool the cheat sheet exists. But the fact it's even necessary is yet another reason why Linux isn't ready for prime time.

Yet.

Like what you read?

If so, please join over 28,000 people who receive our exclusive weekly newsletter and computer tips, and get FREE COPIES of 5 eBooks we created, as our gift to you for subscribing. Just enter your name and email below:

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like...

Post A Comment Using Facebook

http://fosswire.com Jacob Peddicord
Hey bud, know this:
Every single command on that sheet can be done with the graphical interface. The UFW firewall specifically doesn’t have its GUI finished, but there are plenty of other GUI config options for the system firewall.
Congrats on your lack of information though, keep it up!
Chris Leary
You’re mistaking the convenient cheat sheet for a necessity. For example, Control-Alt-Backspace also restarts GDM. There are simple graphical and/or shortcut key interfaces to all of this functionality, in so far as it’s necessary for a desktop user. The cheat sheet is most likely given for users who either fill a more administrative role or are looking to explore beyond the role of a typical desktop user.
To rephrase, the existence of a command line cheat sheet for Ubuntu in no way implies that Ubuntu is not a user-friendly desktop operating system. I’m sure that there exists a list of commands that can be run from an OS X terminal that looks strikingly similar, yet few people would say that this implies that OS X is not ready for “prime time”. Yet.
Fishy
Would run: msconfig or run:dxdiag or run:regedit make any sense to a casual computer user?
Not a chance.
Again, I’ll say it’s lists listing these commands exist. But the fact they’re even necessary is yet another reason why Windows XP isn’t ready for prime time.
Every operating system can get complicated on some occasions. It’s impossible for any casual user to ever understand all the features of his ^roducts.
How many drivers are able to interpret every single alarm light on their dashboard AND now what to do to fix it? Not much you say? Well I guess cars aren’t ready for prime time yet.
http://none David M
So far, it has been computer geeks justifying the complexities. I don’t think computer newbies feel the same way about having to learn computer complexities. For the geeks, it is part of the fun. For computer newbies it is frustrating.
Most people just want ALL of their software to work without having to learn a bunch of computer gibberish. Apple’s OS is probably the closest we have to that and Linux is the furthest from it.
An operating system that is largely dependent on volunteers to do the developing will never become user friendly because it does not involve people who are being paid and therefore being told to build an OS that is user friendly. You cannot tell a volunteer what to do unlike you can tell a paid employee what you want done. If you want to sell an OS it needs to be user friendly and therein lies Linux’s dilemma. Its not going to come from volunteers.
Fishy
@ David: according to PCMech 70% of Linux development is done by paid employees.
http://www.pcmech.com/article/linux-is-70-corporate/
DEF
The content of this post proves that the writer has no idea what Ubuntu can do.
Ubuntu is easier than windows xp.
There is _no need_ to type all those UNIX commands.
Rich Menga, you simply didn’t boot Ubuntu and you dare write about it.
Shame on you.
http://none David M
Perhaps the Linux fanboys need to explain why it has not caught on?….compared to the two major operating systems.
DEF
Ok, i will explain. Just download Ubuntu Desktop Edition here :
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download
Burn it as an iso image, and boot it.
It’s free, it’s easy and you will have the opportunity to make your own opinion without typing any complicated command.
You’re free. That’s my explanation of Linux.
Fishy
@ DEF: I don’t think you completely understood David :p
@ David: Sigh, I can’t really tell you either. It probably has to do with a number of things. Most important probably: Almost all computers come with an OS. And then, changing the OS of a computer is incredibly intimidating to the majority of people. Imagine trying to change the entire engine of your car!
Dolores
Mac computers have 3% of the computer market. I fail to see how that makes them a “major operating system”
So why don’t YOU explain why Mac computers haven’t caught on?
Ubuntu is incredibly simple to use. Its very secure, very stable, very user friendly, and its free. If you tested out the operating system yourself you would see that.
In fact, if you are running windows…its even easier than ever before to install!
http://wubi-installer.org/
Michael Leftin
First of all I’ve been using Ubuntu Linux for years and unless you have the most pressing need and know Unix commands you never need to go to the command line. The OS has everything you will ever need to work, e-mail, play with videos and pictures and whatever you could possibly think of. The OS is very fast. The OS is very free and the OS is (in the case of) 8.04 LTS much better looking than, and does the same aero thing as Win Vista. Operating systems are very subjective. Some people like easy systems and some of us like systems that offer more. It’s up to the individual. Linux can be for the casual user as well as the more advanced engineering user. I use Linux in the lab and I use it in the house. It can be anything you want it to be. Don’t look down on an excellent system that is getting more popular every day. Rather look into it with a trained eye the same way you look into the Macs and OS X.
Greg Zeng
Tried most microcomputer op-sys’s. Relunctantly return to Windows … . See Linux’s troubles with wireless networking on this site. Not to mention complex installation of Open-Source or Linux software (poor or zero standards, bug overloaded, ….).
Glad that DELL finally allows its products to be free of MS-Vista. So far, microcomputer on the last century are so primitive. When Symbian grows up, perhaps it will be THE winner?
http://clockitup.co.uk Mark Bartlett
I like the idea that you can run Ubuntu inside Windows Vista to get the hang of things first before a possible migrate from Microsoft to Linux.
If you don’t like it, you just uninstall Ubuntu from Add/Remove in Windows, just like any other normal bit of software.
baba
I needed to install and run Ubuntu to run a computational software called OPENFOAM. It has been a month and I haven’t been able to setup wireless NetGear dongle. All the forums speak geek…
But I am not giving up.
However, I can now see why Microsoft rules the world.
reuben
so i decided to try ubuntu. To those saying how easy it is…youve got to be kidding me. first it wont install right and i get all kinds of startup errors and cant get it to boot the os i just installed OR boot from the cd like i had originally. I go to bed in frustration and the next morning the cd boots when i turn the thing on…that was night mare one.
2… i finally get it installed, i go to adjust my screen resolution and im stuck at 600×800 instead of the 1369×960 my monitor supports. long story short i read enough web forums to finally get the damn nvidia driver to install, onl to find out its made my resoulution shittier and decreased my resolution options. now any indow i open is impossible to navigate.
FUCK UBUNTU its the biggest piece of shit ever… ill gladly go but a copy of windows rather then deal with this bs ever again. I swear you need to read a book to install a simple f’n driver or change the screen resolution. dont waste your time.
Eric
Sorry to hear that reuben, haven’t seen trouble like that for many years now. It would be interesting to know what exactly you installed and what your hardware was. I suspect there’s more going on with your story.
As for the cheat sheet thing. I think that’s a lame reason to start hacking on ubuntu. There’s other areas that would be more logical like printer support or the fact you can’t run access on it, as far as I know.
The only problem with ubuntu, causing me to shake my fist at the sky, is printer support. It’s a lucky day when I get a printer to work on ubuntu even if it has software to do so on linux. Just last month I was shocked when my girlfriend’s usb printer worked on my pc. Till then I just gave up on printing in ubuntu. Too lazy to go out and buy a printer that works on ubuntu.
I started using ubuntu exclusively a few years ago being so digusted with XP. Since then, getting to know and use the unique features of ubuntu has made me spoiled. Now it’s hard for me to work productively in windows, unless using portable ubuntu. Gone are the days when I need to spend anywhere from $30 to hundreds of dollars for apps just so I could get some work done. Aside from all that I’m also spoiled by the regular ubuntu releases, always making things even better than before. I’m surprised people are impressed with vista graphics. It’s settings are mid level graphics settings in ubuntu. At high level settings I show my friends the really neat graphics ubuntu desktop has.
Just having upgraded from ubuntu 8.04 to 8.10 to 9.10 I was pleasantly surprised that my warcraft install worked better than before, even better graphics. I run five instances of warcraft at once, being a muliboxer. It works very nicely. I was ready to setup warcraft all over again getting wine to work correctly for it, but no, it worked like a dream.
I have successfully gotten my x-wife into ubuntu after her disgust with her windows XP install always having something else wrong, possible trojans and such.
My girlfriend got a very nasty trojan a couple of weeks ago. So I just popped in a ubuntu live cd, boot up to it and she was back to her e-mail and office. This gives me time to get to her pc and reinstall windows from scratch. I don’t thing she’d notice if I switched it to ubuntu but I need a windows computer for my video capture board.
Brilinger
I own an internet cafe in Thailand. It took some work on my part, but now i have the most (probably the only) stable internet cafe in the entire town (Krabi.) Printer setup (canon) and even worse, the networking of said printer, was a friggin nightmare, but i got it going eventually, i am however, afraid to upgrade the computer controlling the printer from Karmic. CASE IN POINT: your average user in a net cafe only needs internet, skype, the ability to get pics off cameras, and IM. 10.04 (and previous versions) have all of these things. What your average internet cafe user doesn’t need is the plethora of flash viruses that run wild, particularly in a country like Thailand where almost none of the software or anti-virus updates are in place because all the software is copied. Ok, i am rambling a bit now but check this very important FACT out:
For the first 2 years of my net cafe i ran various distributions of Windows. and because of the way that viruses propagate through a Windows system, i had to completely reinstall at LEAST one machine every week. Since i have had been running Ubuntu (nearly one year now) i have had to reinstall NADA, not once, not a single time! The machines have never crashed unless it was a hardware issue. . . For my instance ubuntu is a godsend! Combine this with the fact that the fake “license check police” (just off-duty policemen looking for bribes – common in this country) have no grounds to even enter my store… and i am really really happy.
I have to admit that i dual boot at home and use windows 90% of the time because i am a gamer, but anytime i have problems in windows, i simply boot into Ubuntu to see if it is yet another Windows problem, which is always has been except for the time my harddrive died.
Ubuntu has it’s uses, but unless given some really remedial tutoring from someone who just knows a bit about it already… i don’t think it will steal away the Windows market… most of the Win-users i know are easily frustrated and will give up in a heartbeat of course blaming “stupid Linux” for all of their issues. These are also the same people that would call me for “tech support” every week for their mystery Windows problems…. using ubuntu has solved that problem for me as well because i simply say, “sorry dude, i use Ubuntu, i can’t help you”
The m