[rlpb]

"If you don't use NetworkManager, a number of programs will refuse to connect to the Internet or behave in various weird ways. More so, a lot of system services now depend on NetworkManager and won't start unless it is running. And if you run NetworkManager, it starts periodically messing up any local system configuration. So you're basically bound to use NetworkManager. "

...

"The effect of all those changes are numerous. For one, it is no longer possible to run the system without a graphical user interface unless you plan to invest a huge amount of work and to throw out most of your system support. If you want to get vendor support, this is not the way you will want to go."

Not true. Ubuntu Server does not use a GUI. Nor does it use Network Manager.