The command line is very powerful for things such as mass renaming of files. example rename a series of files from me*.txt to you*.txt or do a mass renaming of extentions.

I also use it to catalog cd contents such as dir d: > cd1.txt the you can concatenate all your files.

Endless ways to use it. Of course if I need to move a bunch of files the explorer would be faster.

The power of the command line is one reason I think that apple added the command line to their new OS

I am a developer and use the command line all the time especially when developing and running administrative scripts; batch files; registering/deregistering DLLs. Love it and would be sad to see it go.....if it ever did

The command prompt provides an alternative method for completing many tasks that just plain take too long with a GUI (be it Windows or Unix flavours) . That said, it's probably mostly used by us older admin types who have minds stuffed with a thousand and one switches!

I use the command line occasionally to access DOS commands that
fill functions that Windows doesn't address (or doesn't easily address anyway). I do use the help switch sometimes for help with the various switches.

Well, the elements of the Windows GUI are simply commandline instructions or short scripts that run inside the equivalent of an "on click" wrapper, or similar event-driven trigger, so getting rid of it isn't an option. What we're talking about, is denying access to it, whereby the question becomes "why would you want to"? If most users never use it, so what?

The problem really is, that it lacks power and flexability, and wthout a proper file and ownership policy within Microsoft operating systems the arguments for using it aren't as strong.

That said, ipconfig, traceroute, ftp... these are all much easier to use than leaving a trail of crufty freeware GUIs, that do he same jobs, behind you, wherever you go. I'm always baffled by security paranoid Windows sys admins, I've met, who follow every tutoiral and guide in the universe about locking down their systems, but when faced with a quick task like a file transfer to another machine, will quite happily download some point-and-click widget - with a version number that starts with a zero - from some website in Siberia!

the command line should stay, though i have kind moved away from windows to linux, i think the cmd line is a very handy tool. looking at the way it was placed in xp, thats a pretty good place for it. what more hiding is there do?
whenever i use windows i have to access the cmd line to i have written a couple of batch utility files and i prefer to access them from the cmdline other than going to the directory where i store them through explorer and just clicking on them.

Generally I use the GUI for most things. When I go to the CMD line it for these reasons :

1) I either can't find the option / CMD that I need within the "helpful" Windows XP GUI
2) It is faster to use the CMD Line eg. ipconfig /all rather than through network properties
3) So that I dont get hassled by a Microsoft paperclip or other "useful" Microsoft "features" when performing a simple request
4) For things that i have never seen in the GUI (or can't be bothered looking for) eg tracert

In short. If it is quicker or easier the CMD line is the way to go

FWIW, I recall reading a first review of OS X when it first came out a couple of years ago... There were all these "Mac-heads" going "At last! A proper command line!" and "Yeah, bash is really cool!"

So there you go. This shows how far we have come, since the days when he had to drag and drop things into the wastepaper basket :)!

Been working with a citrix thin client for a month time now and I hate the fact that CMD ain't there anymore, eventhough I never thought I where to miss it.

 - mega

As a network administrator the command line is VITAL to my existance. I could do things with the GUI but that takes too long. There are a wealth of utilities that can only be run through it for diagnosing network problems. It is also vital to test run logon scripts before submitting them to user profiles.

And MOST important... Always use the Command Window when doing anything for the big bosses :) If they saw how easy it is using the GUI, they will wonder why they pay you so much ;)