Command Line Fu - The Website

This has to be my newest favorite site. I get excited like a kid in a candy store when I talk about the Command Line Fu website. So, here we go.

If you have read any of my previous blog posts you know that I favor the command line and text CLI environment for productivity. Likewise, it returns the processing and computing power of the computer back to the user. Yes, you must be a bit more practiced and read in order to make this a practical "lifestyle" change. I would argue with the users who prefer the GUI interfaces who say that it is too difficult or only for hackers.

My argument up to this point has been that the GUI allows for visual processing of instructions for expected actions and behavior of applications. Which means that you have to actually read, comprehend and use the help files (known as manpages) that will give you nothing short of full access to the power of every command line application.

I do not exclude myself from this observation, that even now, with my daily use of the command line that I have only but begun to scratch the surface of the commands and applications at my disposal. Most of the references that I have in my previous command line posts have to do with end user applications rather than "true" command line super powers.

The underlying issue of ease of reference, seeing practical working examples and then applying the use of the commands is constant. As I just said, even for myself. Well all of that is changing. The Command Line Fu website is filling the gap of general command line super powers and ease of reference.

I highly recommend this site. I personally access the site and it's material in 3 different ways. First, I navigate to the site and use the search function in order to try and find a previously submitted example of how to use a command. Second, I subscribe the RSS feed which then goes into my reader each day. Usefull commands I flag for later closer examination. And lastly, I have used the site to submit some of the commands that I actually use in my production/work environment.

This site is a very good example of community that you normally see in the open source community. I know this is going to sound like hippy-tree-hugging-free-love stuff, but it's true. Command Line Fu makes it easy to contribute, and even better, contribution doesn't take much effort. It asks only for the command line and a brief description of what the command is expected to do.

Wonderfully simple in design, efficient in use. While at the same time not being just ugly (like some really geeky sites can be). I have this site bookmarked in my Delecious and recommend it to anyone who might be eager to learn. If you follow my twitter, you might just find some references to the site, when I see command line goodness, I will be the first to spread the word.

Two thumbs up.

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CafeNinja