Switching from Command line to GUI

[James Gray]

On Wed, 19 Apr 2006 07:55 pm, Chanchao wrote:
> On Wed, 2006-04-19 at 17:41 +0800, Angelyn V. Dilim wrote:
> > I am new to Ubuntu, I installed Ubuntu and choose the server install
> > after the installation is completed and log on I see that its all command
> > line, how can I switch so to GUI?
>
> Ha, that's what a 'server' install *IS*, a bare-bones installation
> without the GUI.  Of course there's ways to install the GUI using
> command line commands, but I wonder if it woulnd't be easier to just do
> the install again and pick a regular install.
>
> Of course a server can also run a GUI, but there's purists around who
> start hyperventilating when 0.05% of their web server power gets eaten
> up by having a mouse pointer. :)

No - there are professional admins around who think (rightly) that anything 
installed that isn't necessary is:
1. A waste of space (sure disk is cheap, but why waste it?)
2. A possible attack vector (even if it's not running - local privilege
   escalation, local DoS etc....xpdf anyone?)
3. Added administration overhead maintaining unused or unnecessary programs.
4. All of the above.

Not a flame - just an explanation that explains the "no-GUI on servers" 
mentality with a little more logic and a little less emotion :)

Cheers,

James
-- 
BOFH excuse #386:

The Internet is being scanned for viruses.
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