Also known as mc

Command line based file manager.

A file commander program for linux and other operating systems.

Similar to Norton Commander, Volkov Commander, Total Commander, Seksi Commander.

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Good as a safety back up tool, or a quick file manager when you don't wish to fire up a GUI like Seksi Commander or Konqueror, Krusader, Nautilis.

Say your system is broken and you need to FTP some files to your server. So you load up MidnightCommander and you have a file manager and FTP access. This all done without loading a window manager. (assuming your network card is set up, and luckily this is the case in Linux at the command line, unlike Dos)

Or say you need to perform file management through the command line, but you still need it partially visible, instead of invisible like command line scripting.

Or say you need to quickly edit files. Just hit the F4 key. Use the internal editor of midnight commander. You can also quickly view files with the internal QuickView panel or by hitting F3 for an external editor.


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Problems:
*in xterm, or other terminal emulators, the keyboard won't work like it does in a regular terminal. Alt-searching doesn't work and other short cuts won't work. This can somehow be fixed I'm sure. 
*Doesn't use Ctrl-Arrow, to duplicate panels, like in Seksi Commander. I will attempt to change this,  by looking into the midnight commander code. 
*Doesn't use Ctrl-C in the editor. Uses F5 which can be awkward. Will attempt to change this, as above. 
*Doesn't use Ctrl-Q to activate quick view panel. Hmm maybe something like Ctrl-F3 would be better since F3 is "view".