I am not a programmer. Most users are not programmers.

In Arabic there is a saying; "Do you want the grapes or do you want to fight 
the watchman?" I get the impression that there are Linux users out there 
who'd rather fight the watchman then eat those wonderful Hebron grapes.

You cannot expect all users out there to be programmers and therefore prefer 
the command line. It is counterproductive to bringing Linux to desktop users. 
As Ben rightly said, people want to be able to exchange email, files and 
browse the web. For most people (read: not programmers) this is easiest with 
a GUI using the computer as a desktop metaphor. Whether this is not the right 
way to do things is a philosophical discussion akin to the monks who used to 
argue about how many angels can sit on the tip of a needle. (read: not 
important)

Besides, the 'windows' GUI is not a Microsoft invention by any means. So why 
is there all this bruhaha? Microsoft copied Apple's GUI design. It is not 
that Microsoft has a superior methodology (snicker) but they realized that it 
just works for most users. With slight variation here and there, I don't see 
how any GUI is going to be very different. Maybe I am extremely dense and 
lacking in imagination, I could entertain that thought. However, I want to 
see this GUI that is so radically different and yet acceptable to most users 
out there. 

In the end of the day, GUI's are here to stay (rhyme not intended) this does 
not in any sense mean that command lines are disappearing.

One of the biggest gripes I see with the Microsoft model is that they are 
locking you in in what THEY think is proper, good and nice. It is arrogant 
and short sighted. I can only say the same for those who would lock me into 
the 'command line' only model.

When I install Red Hat 7.2 I get my pick of GENOME and KDE in addition to 
whatever else I feel like installing. I can upgrade and modify the kernel as 
needed and desired, as well as the GUI. (within limits) If I were a 
programmer I could make my own GUI and use that instead or modify what is 
available. That is the power of Open Source Software. Whether you use the 
command line or a GUI is a matter of preference, which is as it should be.

Samir M. Nassar
RedConcepts.NET