No desktop, Best programs?

[Chan Chung Hang Christopher]

Knapp wrote:
> Hello, I have been thinking about putting UBuntu on my VERY old
> laptop. It is so old that a desktop is really a waste.
> I know that you can use a mouse on the CLI and that there are some
> very good programs for all the standard functions but what are they?
> Goals.
> 
> Use ONLY CLI.
> Have a desktop like experience.
> 
> I will start with the midnight commander as the file browser.
> What is the name of the program for using a mouse in CLI?
> Programs needed; email, web, fire browser, IRC, torrent, Music, video,
> timer, top like program, networking, a BIG ONE keyboard switcher
> (dvorak to Germany to USA standard), Office, PDF. What did I forget?
> 
> Can it be done? Are there limits?

No pictures?

Email: Get a mutt

Web pages: Get a lynx

Video: /me raises an eyebrow. You want to watch a video via the command 
line? Is the SVGA library still around?

top like program: How about using top?

networking: What type? MLM? Pyramid? ???

torrent: How about bittorrent?

PDF: pdf2txt?

Mouse support: gpm

timer: at

You forgot: emulator for dos to run Windows 3.11 and dos games