This is the program we always install first in any new Linux-based installation, and if for some reason we can’t install it, that system tends to get blown away and replaced by a different version of Linux (or whatever) almost immediately. Not being able to install Midnight Commander is kind of a deal-breaker around here.

File browsing in a Linux terminal is alright, but it could be so much better. Midnight Commander is the program you’re looking for –  it gives you a two-paned file browser that makes working in the terminal so much easier. And the best part? It’s simple to get and use.

Full article here:
Do More, Faster In The Linux Terminal With Midnight Commander (MakeUseOf)

We’ll just add that even some Mac OS X users are apparently lost without Midnight Commander, since an older article on installing it under OS X is still one of the most popular on this site, even though for day-to-day use, we would think that most OS X users would be happier with the more recent versions of XtraFinder, which now includes dual pane functionality (and it’s free!). As for Windows users, there is always the venerable Total Commander.