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#1 2009-03-14 06:38:24

robertoprs
Member
From: México
Registered: 2009-02-08
Posts: 21

CLI applications suggestions

Hi,

I've been using Arch for a little while now, I was really atracted by the idea of intalling all the graphical environment by myself, and Arch has been an amazing source of knowledge and programming discoveries.

I've been using Openbox for a while now, and I realized there are only three reasons of why I use a WM:

1.- Messenger (use one called emesene, haven't found anything for doing that in console).
2.- Firefox (lynx cannot enter to visually appealing pages like hotmail, gmail, facebook and so on).
3.- Office (I'm not sure if I can format text in emacs just like Microsoft Office).

I know there may not be a solution for some of there points, but I was wondering if anyone knew a console messenger. And since we're already in this topic, if you have any other suggestions of cli applications for any other use, please feel free to post them. smile

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to write.

NOTE: I already use Vi, Conky and mocp, son don't worry about those.

To Moderators: I'm not sure if this is hte right place for this post. Hope I'm not making a mistake.


"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know...
It's what we know for sure that just ain't so."
Mark Twain

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#2 2009-03-14 06:46:29

Inxsible
Forum Fellow
From: Chicago
Registered: 2008-06-09
Posts: 9,183

Re: CLI applications suggestions

Finch -- comes with Pidgin
centerim
bitlbee

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Com … at_Clients

Last edited by Inxsible (2009-03-14 06:47:24)


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There's no such thing as a stupid question, but there sure are a lot of inquisitive idiots !

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#3 2009-03-14 06:54:39

Chrysalis
Member
Registered: 2008-07-07
Posts: 155

Re: CLI applications suggestions

irssi with bitlbee, texlive, links/elinks/w3m.... ?

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Useful_Applications
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Scr … si_Bitlbee

So you like installing a graphical environtment by yourself, but you dont want any gui apps? ;/

Use what lets you get the job done.

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#4 2009-03-14 06:57:24

Runiq
Member
From: Germany
Registered: 2008-10-29
Posts: 1,053

Re: CLI applications suggestions

Messenger: As for a messenger, I'm using mcabber (with transports where needed). Doesn't have file transfer, that's why I forced several people back to sending stuff via email. tongue
You can basically write LaTeX code in a console since it isn't much more than a markup language, and the output looks way nicer than that any WYSIWYG word processor imho. I'm not sure about viewing the finished document, though, and LaTeX is probably not so well suited if you just want to write a quick letter (or any short documents, for that matter).
On the other hand, there are utilities to format console output, like fmt, nroff, etc. Look at the manpages, they're handled by nroff or groff (iirc). You can't easily change font settings though, that's the most serious problem I'd say.
Don't you watch any videos at all? If you do, there's mplayer with framebuffer support which lets you watch video on console, too. I heard it's a hassle to get it to work, though, and personally I never bothered...

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#5 2009-03-14 06:58:58

fflarex
Member
Registered: 2007-09-15
Posts: 466

Re: CLI applications suggestions

You are not going to find a console web browser which will offer as good of an experience as a graphical client. It is possible to get images in a console web browser like w3m or links, but you are honestly better off with a graphical browser. I recommend the vimperator extension for firefox for browsing without the mouse (also gives firefox various vim-like keybindings).

For office use, I recommend LaTeX (although there is a learning curve here, using LaTeX has a few similarities to programming).

For instant messaging, I don't really know what to tell you. I have never really been too satisfied with ANY program in this category, whether on the console or graphical. Pidgin comes the closest for me, and is also probably the best choice for casual users. I am currently testing out irssi/bitlbee to see if that could satisfy my needs.

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#6 2009-03-14 07:20:48

robertoprs
Member
From: México
Registered: 2009-02-08
Posts: 21

Re: CLI applications suggestions

Chrysalis: I changed to Arch because I wanted to try a new distro. I've always had a DE installed with all the other distro I've tried before, so doing everything from cero was really nice (pimp it the way I wanted). As time has passed, I realized I enjoy working on console a lot, that's when I decided I may try to go all console.

Runiq: Thanks for the mcabber idea, I'll try that. About the video: I thought about it and I believed it was too much aking, so I decided not to mention it to let people come with any ideas and see if it popped up like it did. Thanks a lot for the advice!

Inxsible: Cenerim sounds wuite interesting from the its web page. I'll give a try. Thanks!!!

--Edit--

fflarex: I know, I was just wondering how crazy people could get wink   I'm quite happy with emesene, but I would also like to try something new smile

Last edited by robertoprs (2009-03-14 07:24:39)


"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know...
It's what we know for sure that just ain't so."
Mark Twain

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#7 2009-03-14 07:32:39

adamlau
Member
Registered: 2009-01-30
Posts: 418

Re: CLI applications suggestions

I notice absolutely no diff in startup and usage performance improvements moving from Finch to Pidgin and vice-versa. YMMV, of course.


Arch Linux + sway
Debian Testing + GNOME/sway
NetBSD 64-bit + Xfce

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#8 2009-03-14 13:27:59

Z.Beeblebrox
Member
Registered: 2009-03-12
Posts: 6

Re: CLI applications suggestions

Just stumbeling across

I'm setting up an elder Toshiba Sattelite, now called KitchenSink. It shall serve me music from the server and recipes from the database. Because of resources all cli.

For music I use mpd and ncmpc, a curses based client for mpd.

Does anybody know of a cli based hirarchical editor, like tomboy?

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#9 2009-03-14 13:55:37

u_no_hu
Member
Registered: 2008-06-15
Posts: 453

Re: CLI applications suggestions

Does anybody know of a cli based hirarchical editor, like tomboy?

Try hnb.


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#10 2009-03-14 15:44:15

Berticus
Member
Registered: 2008-06-11
Posts: 731

Re: CLI applications suggestions

Well, when it comes to writing a quick letter, you wouldn't need to format it anyway. So you could just write that in plain text. Many things which are quick won't need formatting. But if you'd like to streamline the LaTeX process, you can write your own LaTeX classes/styles which are very easy once you get into LaTeX.

To replace Excel, I've used all sorts of linux commands (grep, paste, cut, cat) and gnuplot. I also use C/C++ to perform certain mathematical equations. Currently learning python and sage to completely replace it (and replace matlab, maple, magma, and mathematica).

fflarex wrote:

For instant messaging, I don't really know what to tell you. I have never really been too satisfied with ANY program in this category, whether on the console or graphical. Pidgin comes the closest for me, and is also probably the best choice for casual users.

I agree completely. I've tried finch, center im, pork, naim. None really appealed to me, so I had to settle for pidgin.

Runiq wrote:

Don't you watch any videos at all? If you do, there's mplayer with framebuffer support which lets you watch video on console, too. I heard it's a hassle to get it to work, though, and personally I never bothered...

It's not a hassle at all... Unless you mean to go full screen. I've never tried that.

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#11 2009-03-14 18:10:10

sm4tik
Member
From: Finland, Jyväskylä
Registered: 2006-11-05
Posts: 248
Website

Re: CLI applications suggestions

robertoprs wrote:

Chrysalis: I changed to Arch because I wanted to try a new distro. I've always had a DE installed with all the other distro I've tried before, so doing everything from cero was really nice (pimp it the way I wanted). As time has passed, I realized I enjoy working on console a lot, that's when I decided I may try to go all console.

Ain't that a b****. Once you make friends with xterm, you're looking for the nextem.. wink Sorry I can't give you much of an answer but the basic "trial and error" thing, but that's how I've found my way around and still do. This is what arch makes you do!

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#12 2009-03-20 17:53:09

robertoprs
Member
From: México
Registered: 2009-02-08
Posts: 21

Re: CLI applications suggestions

sm4tik wrote:

Sorry I can't give you much of an answer but the basic "trial and error" thing, but that's how I've found my way around and still do. This is what arch makes you do!

I know, and it is so much fun too! I was just curious what other people had found out or what were their opinions. I mean, the Arch community has always something interesting interesting to say; there is so many smart people in here that not asking for advice (I'm not expecting the answer on a silver tray, either) is such a waste of knowledge.

So far it has been quite interesting reading everyone's point of view. Thanks all for taking the time to add up your flavour to this pot! smile


"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know...
It's what we know for sure that just ain't so."
Mark Twain

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