Do you have any examples where power features aren't accessible? The OP used a wifi applet as an example of exposing information. I'm not sure if this isn't as common as I think it is - but what's wrong with typing `ip` into a terminal (that's always open anyway)? It's desktop agnostic, works even without a desktop. And then there's no need for an entire applet dedicated just to wifi for the rare occasion you need to lookup your MAC address.

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demurgos 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

> I'm not sure if this isn't as common as I think it is - but what's wrong with typing `ip` into a terminal (that's always open anyway)?

I'm a regular Linux user, but I wouldn't know how to get all the data from the Wi-Fi applet using the Command Line. GUI have the advantage of discoverability over CLI: with a GUI I get a bunch of useful info in a single place, with a CLI I first need to know that a data is available and then I need to look-up the right invocation to get this data.

	▲	cosmic_cheese 4 days ago \| parent [-]
		UI also represents an opportunity for standardization, which is a powerful force for onboarding non-technical users and in time, turning them into power users. Standardized patterns illustrate to users that there's a method to the madness and that computers are finite, learnable systems and not seemingly arbitrary chaos or unintelligible techno-wizardry.

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cosmic_cheese 4 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

One small example is how holding down Option/Alt modifies behavior in various ways throughout macOS.

Often it functions as a “do this for everything” modifier. So for example, option-clicking the minimize traffic light minimizes all windows from the application the window belongs to, and option-clicking a disclosure triangle in a nested list expands or contracts all child nodes.

There’s tons of little things like that which might sound silly but become significant time and sanity savers after making a habit of using them.

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bmicraft 4 days ago | parent | prev [-]

> I'm not sure if this isn't as common as I think it is - but what's wrong with typing `ip` into a terminal

Well, for a start, `ip` isn't enough to give you anything. You'd need at least `ip a` or `ip r`, but then you'd have to already know that or go hunting in the manual (the `ip` help really is pretty bad). For something you might only need once a year (and will forget before you need it again!), having it in the GUI is very valuable.