Welcome to the Linux Foundation Forum!

Black Window? Command Prompt?

deatharte
deatharte Posts: 37
in Getting Started with Linux

what do you called the "black window" operating system.. you can manipulate data files by entering codes...

like debian "black window"...

is it X Windows?

i meet some linux users entering the code "startx"..

im using Damn Small Linux (DSL). when i was in DSL GUI.. i go to Terminal then entering some path then "startx" command. it doesn't make the operating system black, but it make the color change.

actually linux brothers and sisters, i hate GUI... i love entering codes.. trace the activities of every users in one network through code and etc. in other words "i love codes"

does anyone can help me? please...

sorry noob here.. thanks in advanced! :)

Comments

  • mfillpot
    mfillpot Posts: 2,177
    It sounds like you are wanting to go into the true Command Line Interface and buypass running the Graphical User Interface, the startx command you are citing starts the X11 window system then starts your default GUI. The usualy case to start in a CLI environment is to manipulate your /etc/inittab file defula init level the which eve one is listed as "mulit-user CLI mode". Please post back if you need more information or if my assumption is incorrect.
  • deatharte
    deatharte Posts: 37
    actually you hit the thread in 100%.. can you teach me how to use X11 window?

    thanks for the reply, information and for your time..
  • Set_Killer
    Set_Killer Posts: 31
    lol, X11 == GUI

    the black screen you keen on is called CLI (command line interface). when you are in CLI and type startx command you get the GUI working (if you have installed one).

    Linux have much advanced "command prompt" then windows. You can do almost everything from CLI - you can create and extract archive (tar, unrar, p7zip), connect to FTP servers, download files (wget), browse web sites (elinks, links, lynx), use IRC (bitchx, ircii), you can even listen audio and watch video with mplayer and special configuration for 32 bit colour console (dont know exactly how) . There is even Total commander like file manager - midnight commander (based on ncurces). Well, you can't use skype :cheer: But you can connect to other linux machine and type these commands on the remote host :laugh: (read more about ssh).

    From here go to Community tab -> Groups -> and the search for Bash group. there are nice lessons and explanations about commands. There you can ask your questions (i think so). Also for every command there is manual page and info. just type "man commandname" in the terminal or console and you will get nice and full info. There are a few sites that provide online manuals (search in google about that). Usually "commandname --h" shows short help.

    You can try to install Gentoo on virtual machine from Gentoo Minimal CD. Then you will learn much new things about linux. Or just read this guide.

    good luck & have fun!
  • raluxs
    raluxs Posts: 20
    Well here ir goes some old history:

    Back in the early days of main frames and unix, the commands where entered into the computer by typewriter-like keyboards called teletypes and all the feedback was printed in paper, no screens. These appeared later and were called "terminals".

    Now, as Linux is somewhat a unix derivative, it has keep most of the terminlogy used back then, so the icon you clic on that gives you a command line is called a terminal. From these you can issue all the commands you like.

    If you want to get a full text-only sceen usually linux sets them up by default and if while in graphic mode you press CTRL+ALT+F1 it will send you to a text terminal screen called tty01 (teletype01). If from there you press ALT+F2 you go to tty02 and so on, usually up to ALT+F5. To return to the grapics mode try with ALT+F5, ALT+F6 or sometimes you need CTRL+ALT+F5 or F6.

    I hope this helps.

    Raul
  • mfillpot
    mfillpot Posts: 2,177
    There are soooo many commands and various syntaxes used for the terminal or CLi based commands. I would check the sources sited by the others in this discussion as a starting point. However each distro has different tools, so some of the examples may not work on your computer.

    The best way to get aquanted with your CLI is to see what command you have available (everything in /bin and /usr/bin is a command, and for admin users /sbin /usr/sbin commands are also available), go through the ones that grab your attention and read the man files to find the functionality and syntax ie.. "man bash" will give you the basics of using the bash shell.
  • deatharte
    deatharte Posts: 37
    thanks brothers for suggestions...

    x11 is GUI, sorry for that. i wont stop learning about linux.. it's so addicted! hehe!
  • mfillpot
    mfillpot Posts: 2,177
    If you really like playing in the CLI then you can install slackware which is CLI at startup by default and use that for your tests, you can always just run X11 and your preferred window managers with the startx command when you need them.
  • deatharte
    deatharte Posts: 37
    Mr. MFILPOT.. thanks... i'll try that...
  • Rovanion
    Rovanion Posts: 73
    Is it true that you have to solve dependencies yourself when dealing with Slackware?
  • deatharte
    deatharte Posts: 37
    what do you mean brother Rovanion Luckey?
  • Set_Killer
    Set_Killer Posts: 31
    Rovanion wrote:
    Is it true that you have to solve dependencies yourself when dealing with Slackware?

    yes, they call it Dependencies HELL ;P
  • mfillpot
    mfillpot Posts: 2,177
    Yes with slackware you resolve the depoendancies yourself. To me this is a benefit becaus you know exactly what is installed on your system and where, automatic dependancy reoslution opens you to the reisk of conflicting applications and the potential to reomve a program (with it's dependancies) then find out that the dependancies are needed for other programs which are now broken.

    The dependancy items is just another example of how with slackware that want the administrators in control, not the software.

    I left windows because I got tired of the software making bad decisions on my system, why would I want to let someone else get that control on my system?

    Michael, what is meant my dependancy resolution is that when you install a program that relies on other programs, in slackware you must also find and install each dependant program manually.
  • deatharte
    deatharte Posts: 37
    Wow! it helps me a lot... i downloaded Slackware 13.0 at distrowatch. i think Slackware is the key to make me greener in Linux administration... thanks to you brothers...
  • mfillpot
    mfillpot Posts: 2,177
    The Slackware guys are really good at their documentation, seemingly complex tasks are made quite simple. When you get a chance read through the text files in the root directory of the installation DVD, it will tell you how to setup many functions.

    If you have any questions feel free to ask me here or you can usually find me in the slackware IRC channel at irc.freenode.net.
  • deatharte
    deatharte Posts: 37
    thanks Mr. Mfillpot.. :)

Categories

Upcoming Training