[panzi]

Under Linux there is a similar command: xdg-open

[richardwhiuk]

or gnome-open.

On Windows the equivalent is start (e.g. start C:\ )

[Someone]

I use start all the time, but also frequently curse at its stupid argument grammar and its interaction with auto-quoting on auto-completion. For example, type

  start C:\Doc

Next, hit tab to get

  start "C:\Documents and Settings"

Now, hit return, and watch a new command window open with title "C:\Documents and Settings".

Reason? If the first argument is a quoted string, it is used as the title of the window being opened (http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/..., http://stackoverflow.com/questions/154075/using-the-dos-star...)

If you ever use start in batch scripts, pass a dummy first argument of ""

[krallja]

You can use `explorer`, which doesn't exhibit this behavior:

    explorer "C:\Documents and Settings"

does what you'd expect.

[panzi]

I think xdg-open defers to gnome-open/kde-open/... depending on what DE is currently running. Not sure about that. Anyway, xdg-open should be installed anywhere where any kind of DE is installed.

[jlgaddis]

For the lazy:

  $ echo "alias o='xdg-open'" >> ~/.bashrc