[NANOG] Re: The Network CLI -- Love it ? Hate it? Needed?

[Alex Buie via NANOG <nanog () lists nanog org>]

Distilled, for commentary: A properly trained brain can communicate via CLI
at a much higher baud rate than a GUI as we have much more tactile
bandwidth at our disposal. The fewer senses involved (ie, no aiming) the
better.

On Wed, Mar 19, 2025 at 3:11 AM Saku Ytti via NANOG <nanog () lists nanog org>
wrote:

> I am almost sure that this is not just Network, but this applies to
> everything people use computers for.
>
> If an application is something that you use infrequently, people will
> prefer GUI.
> If an application is something you work hours on end, people will prefer
> CLI.
>
> I wholly believe that any call center worker will prefer the CLI
> ticketing system.
>
> I have some anecdotes to support this, like companies migrating from
> legacy CLI tools to GUI tools. Like Telia UniOSS or factory/warehouse
> inventory system, in both cases after migration to GUI users were very
> unhappy, because what used to be fast and didn't require attention to
> display, now took great care with keyboard, mouse and display.
>
> People will think they will prefer GUI, because we are projecting
> short-term, and on-boarding to GUI is fast and seems cognitively
> cheaper compared to scary looking CLI. And managers who make these
> decisions will never have to use the end product hours every day. The
> problem looks very different depending on this use-pattern.
>
>
> Will will be happier and more efficient with the CLI tool they can
> blaze through, which is responsive, and predictable in that you know
> what is on screeen after each button press, without looking at the
> screen. You can navigate deeply nested UX in milliseconds, because you
> know your workflow and you know the display will catch up.
>
>
> When I look at a typical network provisioning system, it is
> essentially an SQL editor and this is the worst possible way you can
> implement GUI UX.
>
>
> Of course all of the above is wrongthink and no one will take you
> seriously if you propose that in the adults table. And making
> decisions that are good for your career is better than making good
> decisions.
>
> On Tue, 18 Mar 2025 at 21:06, Mark Prosser via NANOG
> <nanog () lists nanog org> wrote:
> > Hi NANOG community,
> >
> > I posed this question in several chat groups, but I'd like to get your
> > opinions.
> >
> > Do you love the CLI? Do you hate the CLI? Would you -- or do you already
> > -- enjoy a world where you never need to touch the CLI, to manage your
> > network?
> >
> > This applies to both provisioning and troubleshooting; to which, you may
> > have different answers.
> >
> > So far, I've seen a variety of replies around the usual
> > "should/must/must not/should not".
> >
> > Warm regards,
> >
> > --
> > Mark Prosser
> > // E: mark () zealnetworks ca
> > // W: https://zealnetworks.ca
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > NANOG mailing list
> https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog () lists nanog org/message/GNZX57LVD4XP2VIZTEQFBRGARHH6DVJC/
>
>
>
> --
>   ++ytti
> _______________________________________________
> NANOG mailing list
>
> https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog () lists nanog org/message/TNGHG2HIGRLHUB5AUUS4OZO2VJRFALA6/
_______________________________________________
NANOG mailing list 
https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog () lists nanog org/message/YKZTYFTOPFIIWRADDRO3EXZ4LXSGSTQB/