davek's Journal: The Command Line will Never Die

Let it be written: The Command Line will Never Die.

At the time of this writing, there are all of THREE (3) google results for the string mentioned in the subject of this essay. All of which deal with elitists trying to express their superior knowledge of computing. I, on the other line, believe that "speaking" to a computer -- either through text-to-speech, or through the tried and true command line -- is the only to truly communicate with the digital world. This is not a personal preference, it is a fact of existence.

When you were young, and unable to talk, you probably communicated using various hand gestures and sign language. In other words you pointed, and clicked. Without the ability to properly communicate the grammar and details of your desire, you were limited to using a clunky pointer to gesture at what you were trying to achieve. However, as you got older, you achieved the power of language. Suddenly, you could simply speak the details of your desire and get what you want. The gestures and physical language served only as an additional cue to emphasize your command.

The same is now true, and will always be true with computers. The myth that "point-and-click" is somehow an advanced method of communication over spoken language is blatantly neolithic. In the end, all communication with a computer will be done with the most efficient method that we humans have devised, that is: LANGUAGE.

The command line will never die. Period.
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Mon May 26 13:12:57 EDT 2008
http://blog.softwareishardwork.com/2007/11/live-and-die-by-command-line.html
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Tue Aug 26 20:58:02 EDT 2008
http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/200201/msg00677.html
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Tue Aug 26 21:05:46 EDT 2008
  <7> command line will never die.
  <5> it's a computer
http://www.quotesdb.info/freenode/linux/23Feb2006/13.html