A third way of using Linux
3 hours ago
- The text introduces a 'third way' of using Linux: the Text User Interface (TUI), which combines the approachability of a visual interface with the lightness of the command line.
- TUI uses text-only displays, runs inside CLI without requiring X11 or Wayland, thus freeing up system RAM while remaining user-friendly.
- Existing TUI tools include htop, Midnight Commander, and installers, but no unified TUI-based desktop environment has gained traction.
- The concept was considered obsolete before it could mature because GUI toolkits were standardized early, but modern trends toward optimization revive interest in TUI.
- TUI is not suitable for graphics editing, modern web browsing with Electron apps, or most gaming beyond emulation, but these limitations define its niche.
- A vision for a TUI operating system includes full-screen ASCII windows, system info panels, and Alt+Tab app switching, aiming to unify existing TUI tools into a cohesive UX.