rational Vs phenominal sense

Couple of weeks ago I downloaded Linux and installed it on my system. Just this week a lab neighbour of mine did the same thing. As I was helping him with the basics of Linux -- i.e. with what little I know -- I found a great connect with our learning of Relational Sense Vs. Phenominal Sense. Here is my interpretation of it:

My Laptop is the item with which I am having a relational experience. The Terminal on the OS usually gives me the rawest of mappings of this. However, to increase usability and understanding GUIs and applications have been developed. These give me a Phenominal view of the same entity (which I previously noted as the Laptop). I notice that Phenominal view of the Laptop is not reality. That is, it is not a true discription of my relational item.

The other thing I notice is that my Phenominal view is one of many possible constructs. E.g. Linux is one choice, Windows is another. Both will work and give me a usable interaction with the relational item (laptop).

In this example I see that there are some rules about our Phenomenal constructs:
1. a consistent mapping and interaction with relational item (that is, if I save a file in my OS, it should really do something in the relational world. And also, if the laptop does not save the file in the relational world, then that info should be passed on and reconstructed for me in my Phenomenal view / OS)
2. an internally consistent system (that is, the word Save, Find, Help should not change meaning within the OS or over time)
3. I should be able to go up or down on the hierarchy (i.e. I should be able to use either a Windows system or a Terminal to do similar work... granted commands / language may vary but consistency should be there)

What do you guys think with this connect I am making with our Computing environments?

BTW, after linking these two things I found a similar msg in Don Hoffman's book in the last chapter. It was refreshing to see similarity in thoughts.

Adios!