Rich Shepard wrote: > 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
At least I've been thinking along the right lines. I just browsed for pages about "runlevels". What I've seen so far was too superficial, but I'm suspecting that may be part of solving a poorly specified unrelated situation. _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
