| 13
Before we get started
Why the command prompt?
Why would we use a command prompt over
the Graphic User Interface that we all know
and love? The reason is simple: Control. A
command prompt
gives us greater control
and flexibility over the system or software
we are creating. We have no way of knowing
if configuring a service using a graphical user
interface is doing exactly what we want it to,
or if it’s doing something that its interpreted
as what we want.
In the world of security, the
risk is not worth taking.
The command line can be used if you
wanted to perform a task multiple times.
You could script the command, and then run
the script, making sure that the command
run is 100% accurate. If you wanted to run a
command
once a year, you would probably
use the CLI (Command Line Interface) over
the GUI (Graphic User Interface). GUI’s
will change, and documentation will need
updating regularly. The CLI is a more
static environment, requiring little to no
documentation changes.
While you
are studying the ISG course,
you will be asked to use certain tools and
commands from within Linux. These tools
are usually run from the command line.
Most people today will be brought up with
computers only knowing how to use a WIMP
(Window Icon Menu Pointer) interface.
People rarely
understand how to interact
with the computer when we take away the
mouse and limit them to a Command Line
Interface. This guide has been written to
help eliminate at least some of the confusion
associated with text-based interfaces. As
