Setting up a pure CLI system Linu (Linux without X) NEED HELP

ioky · 2008-06-19 17:34:37

Hello, Every one

I am new to Archlinux. but I am not a pure noob in Linux. I have use a few difference Distro before, and running ubuntu for everyday computing.

As time goes by, I get more and more into Linux, and I want to learn more about it. So I start myself with the Linu Project. I get a fair enough old Laptop. So I was thinking to install a pure CLI system on it. After Hours of research and reading. I realize it is possible to do every computing with just a CLI system. So here I am, I want to use Archlinux as the base system because all the greatness of it.

Here is a List of all the software I found on the web, which can make the project to be interesting. I am not a except of Linux, I am still looking for a way to start this. The bottom line is I would like to have Archlinux installed, along with the software I listed. Of course if you get any suggestion on which software that I should add or drop. It will be great to listen.

Linu (Linux without X)

CLI Softwares

Accessoris:
eSpeak - text to speech app
Abook - a text-based addressbook program designed to use with mutt mail client
Antiword - a reader for proprietary Microsoft Word documents.
Live-F1 - a Linux client for viewing the information feed of the offical F1 site
bc - (calculator)
gnuplot - a command-line Program generate 2D/3D dimensinal plots of functions and data
FBGrab - a framebuffer screenshot program
Fbshot - a small program that allows you to take screenshots
pdf2ascii - PDF to ascii software
GNU Oleo - a lightweight free spreadsheet software package.
SC - spreadsheet calculatior
vim-latexsuite - Latex plugin to VIM
cmatrix - CLI Matrix screensaver

Games:
BSD-Games - a collection of the classic text based games
gnuchess - let most moden computer play a full game of chess
Netris - a free, networked variant of Tetris
NetHack - a single-player roguelike computer game originally released in 1987
Slash'EM - (Super Lotsa Added Stuff Hack - Extended Magic)
ADOM - a roguelike game
Linley's Dungeon Crawl - a free and portable roguelike game
Angband - a dungeon-crawling roguelike computer game derived from Umoria

Graphic:
zgv - a picutre viewer with a thumbnail-based file selector
fbida - a few app for viewing/editing images (fbi, fbgs, ida, exiftran, thumbnail.cgi)
imagemagick - a software suite for image manipulation
Internet:
ELinks - Full-Featured Text WWW Browser
Lynx - a text browswer for the World Wide Web
Links - The WWW Text Browser
Links2 - provides a fas graphics browser that run on Linux console
w3m - a text-based web browser as well as a pager like `more' or `less'
Mutt - E mail client
Mlmo - a feature-rich, highly configurable and fast mail client
Pine - a Program for Internet News & Email
Freetalk - a console based Jabber client
Naim - a console AIM, ICQ, IRC, and Lily CMC client
IRSSI - terminal based IRC client for UNIX systerms
BitlBee - an IRC instant messaging gateway Licensed under GPL
Finch - the console client that comes with the Linux Pidgin Package
MCabber - a free software client for the Jabber/XMPP instant messging protocol
Centericq - a text mode menu- and window-driven instant messaging interface
CenterIM - a fork of CenterICQ
gaim-text - a text based user interface for Gaim
Ekg2 - an IM client for Unix systems
Raggle - a console RSS aggregator
newsbeuter - a RSS feed reader for the text console
Podget - a simple command line aggregator for podcasts
BashPodder - a podcast client written in bash
Snownews - a console RSS/RDF newsreader
rTorrent - a BitTorrent client
MLDonkey - a multi-platform multi-network peer-to-peer client.
Wget - a program implements simple and powerful content retrieval from web servers Lftyp - a command-line file transfer program(FTP client)
NcFTP - the first alternative FTP client program
Ethereal - a network traffic analyzer, or "sniffer", for Unix
cURL - a command line tool for transferring files with URL syntax
IPTraf - a console-based network statistic utility for Linux
Cryptcat - a version of netcat with integrated transport encryption capabilities

Programming:
VIM - an advanced text editor
Emacs - an extensible, customizable text editor and more
ncurses - a library providing an API, allowing the programmer to write TUI
Charva - a Java framework for presenting a "graphical" user interface
Media:
MPlayer - a movie player which runs on many systems
VLC - a free cross-platform media player
Cplay - a music player offers high quality audio playback of media files
MPD - Music Player Daemon (MPD) is a database-using music player server
MPC - Music Player Command (mpc), the command line interface to MPD
ncmpc - a curses client for the MPD
Mp3blaster - a mp3 player for computers running a UNIX-like operating system
MOC - a console audio player for Linux/UNIX
cmus - a small and fast console audio Player
Herrie - a minimalistic music player that use command line.
Orpheus - a light-weight text mode menu and window-driven audio player app for CDs
ABCDE - a CD ripper for Linux operated entirely from the command line
BashBurn - a collection of scripts for CD burning in a Linux console
shell-fm - a lightweight console based player for Last FM radio steams.
lastBASH - a console/terminal based player for Last.fm
tagger of lltag - a frontend to tag (and rename) mp3/ogg/flac files automagically.
ogg123 - a command line audio player for Unix
mpg123 - a fast, free, minimalist, console MPEG audio player

System tool:
GNU Screen - a free terminal multiplexer developed by the GNU Project
Midnight Commander - a file manager for free operating systems
Vifm - a ncurses based file manager with vi like keybindings
dvtm - brings the concept of tiling window mangament popularized by X11 to the console
Twin - a textmode window environment
fdisk - hard disk partition table editor programs
gpart - a software utility which scans a hard disk drive
LVM - a logical volume manger for the Linux kernel
alsamixer - the mixer program for the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture
bmom - a portable bandwidth monitor and rate estimator
Multitail - a program for monitoring multiple log files
rdup - a utilty inspired by rsync and the plan9 way of doing backups
alsamixer - ALSA Mixer
htop - an ncursed-based process viewer

At the End I would like to thanks you all.

Berticus · 2008-06-19 18:02:59

For the cli scientific calculator, I use wcalc. Not sure how it compares to bc...

Also, why do you have so many software for the same function? Ditch pine, stick with mutt. For iming, I've used finch and thought it was somewhat inconvenient. I saw screenshots of centerim and thought it looked very clean! Someone's also suggested pork, claiming they had a better experience with that over finch and cim.

I would also suggest getting rid of Lftyp, and just stick with NcFTP.

Why would you need Midnight Commander or Vifm when you can use cd, rm, mkdir, and mv?

sniffles · 2008-06-19 18:21:20

First post!!!1

But seriously. I somewhat like your style. I used to be no-X myself until I gave that up for the advantages of X Terminal Emulators. Back when I used FreeBSD I had created myself an "instant cli workstation" metaport [ similar to : http://www.freshports.org/misc/instant-workstation, which is now obsolete/broken -- but command line oriented ].

"Linu (Linux without X)" <-- witty. How about CLInux ?

Anyway, I wish you good luck. You may not be a Linux "noob" but you don't seem to be well versed as far as CLI applications go.

My suggestion: don't blindly install all that software. Install only the tools you need.

P.S.: See the wikipedia entries on wireshark and tcpdump.

Last edited by sniffles (2008-06-19 18:22:07)

ioky · 2008-06-19 18:39:08

Berticus wrote:

For the cli scientific calculator, I use wcalc. Not sure how it compares to bc...
Also, why do you have so many software for the same function? Ditch pine, stick with mutt. For iming, I've used finch and thought it was somewhat inconvenient. I saw screenshots of centerim and thought it looked very clean! Someone's also suggested pork, claiming they had a better experience with that over finch and cim.
I would also suggest getting rid of Lftyp, and just stick with NcFTP.
Why would you need Midnight Commander or Vifm when you can use cd, rm, mkdir, and mv?

First of all thanks for the suggestion, and the reason why I have a lot of software that do the same thing is because I didn't really used those software, at less not at a advance level. So I would like to see what other people think about the software. And just keep a list to myself on what is available, so I don't need to dig them out later if I need them.

Midnight Commander and Vifm are there for the same reason, and I actually want to try them out, just to get a feel of it, although I do agree I might ending up using cd, rm, mkdir, and mv. mostly.

again, thank you so much.

ioky · 2008-06-19 18:41:14

sniffles wrote:

"Linu (Linux without X)" <-- witty. How about CLInux ?

haha that is a good one too, never think of that. I like it.

pauldonnelly · 2008-06-19 20:59:35

Berticus wrote:

Why would you need Midnight Commander or Vifm when you can use cd, rm, mkdir, and mv?

Midnight Commander is a nice program. I started using it not too long ago, after a few years of doing all my file management with the cli, because I wanted to know what all the fuss over file managers was about. I think I'll continue to keep it around.

Berticus · 2008-06-19 21:06:04

What does it offer that you can't do with cd, ls, rm, mv, mkdir, and find can't do?

Oh, and my browser of choice when I was in textual mode was links2. The only problem is there's no java or flash support...

ioky · 2008-06-19 21:58:16

Berticus wrote:

Oh, and my browser of choice when I was in textual mode was links2. The only problem is there's no java or flash support...

I perfectly agree with you, Link2 is nice, but I think sometime you can't wish too much in CLI for media support. It is still just text base after all.

By the way, I just install ArchLinux on my VMWare. but I am don't know what to now, I just add a new user. and that is about it. haha. don't even know how to use su/sudo. haha sorry, I just new to it.

Jerry · 2008-06-20 02:44:42

What does it offer that you can't do with cd, ls, rm, mv, mkdir, and find can't do?

reduced keystrokes, persistent directory overview, multiple directory view. For me the most important part is it frees my mind to think of other stuff (git comes to mind...).

@ioky

A bit of advice: A lot of CLI programs you'll encounter will likely exhibit vim-like or emacs-like keystrokes. getting yourself familiar with one (or two) of this editors will make memorizing keystrokes a lot easier.

I'd say go for emacs, but that's just me.
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=40190

Goodluck to you, you're in for a LOT of sleepless night memorizing commands.

jpt · 2008-06-20 05:12:24

You actually will end up using all those packages? Seems kinda funny that you're installing so much in order to build a minimal desk...

I'd just try installing the app as soon as you need it. You'll end up with less bloat.

pauldonnelly · 2008-06-20 07:04:40

Berticus wrote:

What does it offer that you can't do with cd, ls, rm, mv, mkdir, and find can't do?

Lots of stuff.

It shows two folders at once, which is kind of nice on its own. But it also means that if you've got a bunch of scattered files that need to be moved to the same folder, you can keep the destination open on one side and browse around to the different files in the other (the default move target is the folder on the non-active side of the screen). And you can mark files in a folder to move/rename/delete them all at once, so when you've got several files that can't be matched by a simple wildcard, it's easier to select them all then move them to the destination. Making symlinks works the same way.

It's got filtered views. It's got a menu you can bring up with a key to operate on files, and the menu can be customized per-directory.

Viewing/editing a file only takes a keypress. Pressing Enter on a file executes some command (defined in a config file) based on the file type, such as playing media files or sending text files to your editor. I've got mine set up to send many files to the plumber from plan9port, making the system integration even better. The View and Edit (F3 and F4) actions are also customizable there.

And there's a command line at the bottom that you can use just by typing, so you've still got all your commands right there.

ioky · 2008-06-20 07:24:53

jpt wrote:

You actually will end up using all those packages?

As I say earlier in the post, no, I just list them out just so I know what is available and choose which one I will be install. I think I will get a clean up list, when I get more understand by trying them in VMware.

Plus, I don't know how much are those are packaged in Arch Linux, and how much are those can actually be install in Arch Linux,

I just doesn't have enough knowledge yet to actually try this out on a real machine(the laptop I mention) It would be great if you can get me more information.

Thanks for the information so far though.

Last edited by ioky (2008-06-20 07:25:52)

Doc Angelo · 2008-06-20 07:37:06

ioky wrote:

By the way, I just install ArchLinux on my VMWare. but I am don't know what to now, I just add a new user. and that is about it. haha. don't even know how to use su/sudo. haha sorry, I just new to it.

Now you have your CLI-Only system ready and you can start working.

ioky wrote:

I just doesn't have enough knowledge yet to actually try this out on a real machine(the laptop I mention) It would be great if you can get me more information.

You should take a look a the Beginners Guide.

Berticus · 2008-06-20 12:24:08

pauldonnelly wrote:

Berticus wrote:
What does it offer that you can't do with cd, ls, rm, mv, mkdir, and find can't do?
Lots of stuff.
It shows two folders at once, which is kind of nice on its own. But it also means that if you've got a bunch of scattered files that need to be moved to the same folder, you can keep the destination open on one side and browse around to the different files in the other (the default move target is the folder on the non-active side of the screen). And you can mark files in a folder to move/rename/delete them all at once, so when you've got several files that can't be matched by a simple wildcard, it's easier to select them all then move them to the destination. Making symlinks works the same way.
It's got filtered views. It's got a menu you can bring up with a key to operate on files, and the menu can be customized per-directory.
Viewing/editing a file only takes a keypress. Pressing Enter on a file executes some command (defined in a config file) based on the file type, such as playing media files or sending text files to your editor. I've got mine set up to send many files to the plumber from plan9port, making the system integration even better. The View and Edit (F3 and F4) actions are also customizable there.
And there's a command line at the bottom that you can use just by typing, so you've still got all your commands right there.

Still don't really see the advantage of it... I've got a very good and organized file system structure. I suppose I'll have to try it out for myself then.

ioky · 2008-06-20 18:12:03

BTW is it any one know DOSBOX can run on purely command line? without X?

Doc Angelo · 2008-06-20 19:03:37

I dont think it would work. Dosbox-package depends on sdl, which depends on X.

ioky · 2008-06-20 20:11:02

I was looking for a CLI periodic table for my CLI only laptop. it doesn't have be to super powerful, all I want is general information.

Also if you know some nice CLI science application, can you please let me know?

Berticus · 2008-06-20 21:28:52

SPICE (or ng-spice) and nutmeg. Definitely prefer that over National Instrument's workbench thingy. Not really sure of any other circuit analysis program available for Linux.

nutmeg is the post-processing program that comes with SPICE, so you don't need to install that on its own. Not sure if it comes with ng-spice.

Last edited by Berticus (2008-06-20 21:29:52)

pauldonnelly · 2008-06-20 21:54:17

Berticus wrote:

Still don't really see the advantage of it... I've got a very good and organized file system structure. I suppose I'll have to try it out for myself then.

I've got an organized file-system too, but sometimes I still need to move/remove files. Maybe I extract an archive in my home directory thinking it will have everything in a folder, but instead get scattered files. Maybe I'm installing a new library for sbcl and I need to symlink a few files so sbcl can find them. And being able to just press Enter on a picture, text file, pdf, web page, POV-Ray source file, Java .jar file, Hydrogen drum pattern, and so on, then have the right thing happen without tying up the terminal is very good.

It's not just one thing, but having all that stuff (and things I didn't mention because I haven't used them yet) is nice. I used the terminal without complaint for years and only tried mc because I wondered if it was as cool as people said, and what I found out is that it actually is pretty useful for me.

Last edited by pauldonnelly (2008-06-20 21:55:39)

Daenyth · 2008-06-20 22:14:37

I didn't bother reading everything that was said, but here's my advice:

GNU screen -- Without this, you DIE
ssh -- Remote computing. See also scp
yafc -- Great FTP client
MPD -- I use mpc and ncmpc for clients
elinks and/or lynx -- Good http clients
vim
nethack -- I suggest using menucolor and statuscolor patches at least

Last edited by Daenyth (2008-06-20 22:16:32)

vogt · 2008-06-21 00:07:13

pauldonnelly wrote:

...And being able to just press Enter on a picture, text file, pdf, web page, POV-Ray source file, Java .jar file, Hydrogen drum pattern, and so on, then have the right thing happen without tying up the terminal is very good.

Artificial terminal shortages?

That is what X with a nice wm sure solves. That many xterminals is a brain overload (and not that nice on memory, especially if the hardware is half your age ). But you can see that the marginal cost of another xterm/urxvt(c) is insignificant.

I find it easier to have tasks in different spots, immediately visible and grouped (by workspace), rather than using that mysterious 'gnu screen' or flow/job control (ie ^Z, fg, bg), which was how it worked back in the day.

Anyways, why (presumably unnecessarily) restrict yourself to just text, when you can use pictures and shading. Undeniably, they can help, though if overdone, they are just as distracting as too much text.

So really, it's a question of picking the best interfaces. I suggest
* Browser: firefox3 + vimperator (links-g, if you really hate X, but have a framebuffer)
* Documents: LaTeX (via community/texlive-*): nobody mentioned this?
* what everyone else suggested: go see for yourself what is best.

mplayer is supposed to do an ascii output.

svgalib stuff can also run without X. But how to replace gimp + inkscape...........

Berticus · 2008-06-21 00:50:21

I didn't really like vimperator. But I guess it's because I haven't quite gotten used to vim yet, and the firefox keyboard keybindings are more natural for me. When I get more into vim, maybe I'll give it another go.

LaTeX was basically mentioned by OP. S/he mentioned vim-latexsuite. I just got into LaTeX, and so far I'm liking it much better than both MS Office Suite and OOo2.

Yeah, I always wondered how you would replace Gimp and inkscape, but I concluded that was pretty much impossible. I mean if you're going to work with graphics, why wouldn't you use graphics? I suppose you could use programming to render everything, but that's totally pointless if you're having a static image.

Also, why would you use gnu screen? If you're in runlevel 3, you can just hit Alt+function key and you'll get a new virtual terminal...

What I've always wondered is why would you use mpd. If you're looking for a database, isn't it sort of useless to database songs that are already listed on your system? Just have some playlists, and you're ready to go. That's what I plan to do now, instead of having a jukebox like banshee, exaile, or mpd. Just have some scripts to send files to xine or some other cli app. If you need remote access, couldn't you just ssh?

ioky · 2008-06-21 01:46:15

I think this project is more like to use Linux differently. It doesn't mean that I or someone hate X.org, or try to prove one interface is better than the others. But of course, When you are in a text base, there isn't much graphic you can do. I think Berticus is right, if you need to work with Graphics, why don't you use graphic. I am a photographer myself, I work with Graphic all the time, and I get my daily Desktop setup with beautiful graphic, but sometime I just feel there is too much Graphic in my life. not to mention that I do architecture work and painting at the same time.... haha. so, sometime, I do want to just to CLI just for fun. also I help me learn more about it. Indeed, I just start this project for fun because of I am bored. I might blog my experience later when I actually get everything setup and going.

vogt · 2008-06-21 02:01:28

Berticus wrote:

I suppose you could use programming to render everything, but that's totally pointless if you're having a static image.

Latex has more than a couple packages that let you do graphics, some of which are decently high level enough that they could be usable, if you know exactly what kind of diagram you are drawing (like geometry stuff).

Also, why would you use gnu screen? If you're in runlevel 3, you can just hit Alt+function key and you'll get a new virtual terminal...

Screen has more features: ^A _ will give you a (visual) bell, when the terminal stops printing stuff, detaching, .screenrc can start programs for you, no need to login again.

What I've always wondered is why would you use mpd. If you're looking for a database, isn't it sort of useless to database songs that are already listed on your system? Just have some playlists, and you're ready to go. That's what I plan to do now, instead of having a jukebox like banshee, exaile, or mpd. Just have some scripts to send files to xine or some other cli app. If you need remote access, couldn't you just ssh?

Mpd isn't useless just because there is another way do what it does. I think that that other way is more effort. Mpd is simple, yet does everything I need it to.

cmus is kind of like mpd+ncmpc, but I find the interface cluttered with features I don't use (like playing random files).

shining_grin · 2008-06-21 09:46:38

I use Firemacs on firefox to use emacs keybindings inside firefox. It's not as complete as vimperator but I like it.
In addition to that I can say that newsbeuter and snownews do the same thing so you can safely choose only one of them.
By the way you forgot Offline IMAP to read IMAP based email from mutt.
Anyways, good idea, keep going!

Arch Linux

#1 2008-06-19 17:34:37

Setting up a pure CLI system Linu (Linux without X) NEED HELP

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Re: Setting up a pure CLI system Linu (Linux without X) NEED HELP

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