************************* Why Use the Command Line? ************************* We are all used to the point-and-click graphical user interfaces of modern computers. So why use the command line? There are a few reasons (and see the excellent discussion that is part of the `Software Carpentry Unix shell notes `_): * Scientific computing often involves automating workflows and repetitive tasks. * Supercomputing facilities are access via remote connections * Much of the analysis software we use is written as a command line tool that is meant to be incorporated into a script, or chained together with other tools. * It helps us understand how the computer thinks about our files and data.