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>On linux, the 'normal' way to move files is using the terminal using 'mv'.

And that's exactly where you loose every average user when trying to convince them to switch from Windows to Linux. I work with Linux every day too but the command line elitism needs to stop.

>if you have to do actual work moving files between different filesystems or across network filesystems

This is the classic HN paradox where your 'actual work', differs from everyone else's 'actual work'.

>Like ctrl+click on them (that interface is terrible by the way, because one click makes the entire selection go away... who thought that up?

In Explorer go to:

  View -> Show -> Item checkboxes

>Windows Explorer cannot even do the most basic selection of 'select all files with NNN in the name'. It's completely useless for anything but the most silly of operations.

Type verbatim in the Explorer top-right search-bar :

  *NNN*

Then Ctrl + A, and hey presto, all files containing NNN in your current directory are selected.

The way I see it, the issue here is that you don't know how to use Explorer features, but instead of looking it up and learning how to use it, you're pushing the narrative that somehow it's Explorer's fault for you not bothering to look up such solutions. It' not like you were born with the Linux command line in your head. You had to take the time to learn all those commands and practice. Same with Windows and MacOS and other OS. You need to re-learn certain mechanics whenever you switch OS and it's not the OS's fault you refuse to do that and choose to remain stuck wanting everything to work the Linux way.

>moving files between different filesystems or across network filesystems, it becomes even worse. You have to find something compatible with Windows, install it.

For which file systems do you have to do that? Windows works out of the box with the storage of any consumer device or external mass storage device sold today and in the past 20+ years, even iPhones.

The way I see it from your arguments, I only get that Windows is the wrong OS for you and your particular use cases, which is fair, but that's no argument that it's a bad OS in general for the avenge joe, as you keep moving the goals posts from copying and renaming files to linux power user activities, which you consider 'actual work'.

> And that's exactly where you loose every average user when trying to convince them to switch from Windows to Linux. I work with Linux every day too but the command line elitism needs to stop.

I have made no argument that everyone needs to use the CLI. I like it, and it is a fair criticism of Windows to say that it makes things harder by not having it. That criticism rings true for me and many others. Some other people with different experiences probably think CLI is hard. That's fine. To each their own.

The comment I responded to accused the author of being disingenous. I pointed out that (1) technical users are still users and (2) there are things that if you're used to a unix shell are simply an absolute pain to do on windows.

> The way I see it, the issue here is that you don't know how to use Explorer features, but instead of looking it up and learning how to use it, you're pushing the narrative that somehow it's Explorer's fault for you not bothering to look up such solutions. It' not like you were born with the Linux command line in your head. You had to take the time to learn all those commands and practice. Same with Windows and MacOS and other OS. You need to re-learn certain mechanics whenever you switch OS and it's not the OS's fault you refuse to do that and choose to remain stuck wanting everything to work the Linux way.

Okay, now do any file with a number at the end?

> It's even easy to move several files 'next to' each other in the window. It's not easy to move files matching a particular name, or across multiple folders.

This is nonsense. Just embrace PowerShell.

    gci | where name -match $regex | move-item $destination

Lets do it in linux friendlier way:

    ls |? name -match $regex | mv $destination

> Just embrace PowerShell.

Instead of learning a young, new language, I could just boot into Linux and used an established operating system?

I don't understand this mentality of 'Windows must be better'. PowerShell is alright, but as the article pointed out, the Windows terminal experience is terrible. Even the OG terminal interface on linux is better (supports copy paste with mouse for one thing).

Yeah, lets go back to the stone age and use abacus, a well establish computing system.

PowerShell is 16 years old. Your kids should know it by this point. Mine do.

> the Windows terminal experience is terrible.

Was terrible. Bash is still terrible, even the creators do not like it, and it has nothing to do with terminal experience.

You do you. But don’t call something inferior or say it can’t do something because you’re too lazy to learn how to use it.

> It's not easy to move files matching a particular name, or across multiple folders.

There is a search feature. Search, select, drag&drop.

> across network filesystems

Windows support SMB protocol, it should just work ?

> Windows support SMB protocol, it should just work ?

Not everything uses SMB? Windows compatibility for anything not Microsoft is sporadic.

What device is your network and which protocol does it implement?