On Fri, 18 Jul 2014, Richard Owlett wrote:

> My proposed comment is that all common Linux distros allow opening a
> command line window. Am I correct?

Richard,

   That is the default. Linux systems have runlevels.

# These are the default runlevels in Slackware:
#   0 = halt
#   1 = single user mode
#   2 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3)
#   3 = multiuser mode (default Slackware runlevel)
#   4 = X11 with KDM/GDM/XDM (session managers)
#   5 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3)
#   6 = reboot

and the initial runlevel is controlled by /etc/inittab:

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:3:initdefault:

   Most of the distributions aimed at the newly defenestered (such as the
ubuntus) default to the runlevel for X11 session managers (4 above). So, any
distribution can be set to boot to the console login. The user then can
start X11 with the startx command (which is an alias for whatever window
manager/desktop environment is desired).

> In the past I've suggested Ubuntu and/or Debian (Gnome3 and Unity being
> nonstarters as DE). He is partial to largish systems with many apps, I
> like light weight.

   _Usually_ distribution differences are in the packages bundled with them
and the means of managing those packages (e.g., .rpm, .deb, .txz).

   Candidly, it probably makes no difference what distribution your friend
uses as long as it supports the applications he wants/needs and he's willing
to keep the system secured and updated.

Rich
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