There is a GUI for compiling. My comment was with reference to someone complaining about compiling programs. You took it out of context.

Linux is completely capable of being operated without ever needing the command line.

As I said before, Windows teaches users bad habits, once you are out of those habits, computing in general will be a lot better for you (even using Windows).

My god daughter who is 12 is very capable of using Linux, she installed an MSN client (aMSN), and got the webcam working and the first I knew of it was when she started a chat with me. No drama and no CLI used.

She is by no means a computer genius (although she is well ahead of her class in computing so much so that her tutor commented on it as being 'incredible').

She knows about the concepts of computing (files, folders, peripherals etc) and GUIs (WIMP - Windows Icons Menus and Pointers), really simple stuff, but she is not used to the "Microsoft Way", so she can adapt.

In her school they teach the kids how to use Microsoft Office, and later on they use Macs, they never touch Linux. Yet by knowing and using Linux, she is streets ahead of the rest of her class when using Microsoft products.

Her comment on Linux is "I like the penguin, I think he's cute".
She prefers Macs because she thinks they are cooler, and she thinks Windows is stupid.
I've never told her what OS she can run (she can choose (she has a Mac Mini which runs Ubuntu, but she knows she can choose between Windows, OS X and Linux)), and I don't 'coach' her with computing.

Ta,

Chris.

Chris,

What are the bad habits you are talking about?

And, congrats on your daughter, she is evidently a bright kid.

Linux is STILL plagued by a confusing GUI interface, whether it be KDE, Gnome, or any of the other GUIs out there, and it's a documented fact (Maximum PC had an article about why Linux hasn't surpassed Windows as the OS to use a while back, and it had an poll that said this).

While I quite LIKE using KDE or Gnome (I've used SuSE Linux for years now), there are others out there who clearly aren't bright enough to adapt to the changes that are present in going from Windows to KDE. Instead of spending a small amount of time trying to figure things out, many just take the easy route and go for Windows instead.

It should be said that I personally prefer Linux over Windows as it's simply the better route to take. However, I haven't changed all of my computers to 'Nix because it STILL doesn't have the software support that Windows does. Once THAT happens, M$ can pretty much kiss itself goodbye.

Not always the case. I don't see anything complicated with KDE and especially Gnome. If anything, both are offensively simple.

By this I mean oversimplifying to the point that it seems the interface was designed for an infant. Goofiness, bordering with extremely offensive interface of Macs.

My grief is that you have to use command line sometimes, and the question that arises is this: If KDE and Gnome creators went so far to greate stupid goofy graphics and round corners, then how come they have overlooked the small instances of command line? One would think that the base would be covered first, and then the goofiness would be piled up.

Speaking of this... I may not know, may be someone can suggest a GUI that is reminiscent of Windows 2000 (standard theme), meaning No Goofiness, simple, clean and square functionality that has no need for command line whatsoever? I would like to try... I am not completely giving up on my chance to forget about M$.