[GRASS5] New GRASS intro

[Glynn Clements]

David Finlayson wrote:

> > Everyone wants the command line interface to be maintained. However, there
> > are features that can be implemented in an integrated GUI in ways that are
> > not possible with a CLI.
> 
> I am always torn on this issue. On the one hand, if GRASS had a
> friendly user interface, maybe it wouldn't be in the GIS ghetto it is
> now (in USA anyway). On the other hand, the reason I use GRASS is
> because it integrates with my Unix toolbox (sed, grep, cut, etc).
> 
> If there comes a day when a Bash script isn't a first-class interface
> to GRASS. Well, that's the day I stop using GRASS.

If anything, the changes required for the GUI work will make scripting
easier.

Essentially, the GUI works by executing GRASS commands. In order to
work effectively, the GRASS commands need to be able to operate
without any user interaction. No yes/no prompts, or waiting for the
user to do something with the mouse, or expecting data to be entered
via the terminal.

Any changes which make a program more useful to the GUI should equally
make it more useful for scripting.

-- 
Glynn Clements <glynn at gclements.plus.com>