--- a/NEWS	Mon Nov 25 22:11:37 2013 -0500
+++ b/NEWS	Mon Nov 25 21:17:36 2013 -0800
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 Summary of important user-visible changes for version 3.8:
 ---------------------------------------------------------
 
- ** An experimental GUI is now available with Octave.  The GUI works well
-    on Linux systems, acceptably on Windows, but unsatisfactorily on Mac OS X.
-    To start a GUI session include the "--force-gui" option when invoking
-    Octave.  The GUI is under continuous improvement and will be the default
-    interface for the 4.0 release.
+ ** A GUI is now available with Octave and is the default when starting
+    an interactive session.  The original command line interface is also
+    available and can be entered by using the "--no-gui" option when
+    invoking Octave.
 
  ** Octave now uses OpenGL graphics by default with FLTK widgets.  If
     OpenGL libraries or FLTK widgets are not available when Octave is

--- a/src/main.in.cc	Mon Nov 25 22:11:37 2013 -0500
+++ b/src/main.in.cc	Mon Nov 25 21:17:36 2013 -0800
@@ -585,12 +585,18 @@
 {
   int retval = 0;
 
-  bool start_gui = false;
-  bool gui_libs = false;
+  bool start_gui = true;
+  bool gui_libs = true;
 
   std::string octave_bindir = get_octave_bindir ();
 
-  std::string file = octave_bindir + dir_sep_char + "octave-cli";
+  std::string file = octave_bindir + dir_sep_char;
+
+#if defined (HAVE_OCTAVE_GUI)
+  file += "octave-gui";
+#else
+  file += "octave-cli";
+#endif
 
   char **new_argv = new char * [argc + 1];
 
@@ -605,18 +611,7 @@
 
   for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++)
     {
-      if (! strcmp (argv[i], "--force-gui"))
-        {
-          start_gui = true;
-          gui_libs = true;
-          file = octave_bindir + dir_sep_char;
-          #if defined (HAVE_OCTAVE_GUI)
-            file += "octave-gui";
-          #else
-            file += "octave-cli";
-          #endif
-        }
-      else if (! strcmp (argv[i], "--no-gui-libs"))
+      if (! strcmp (argv[i], "--no-gui-libs"))
         {
           // Run the version of Octave that is not linked with any GUI
           // libraries.  It may not be possible to do plotting or any
@@ -624,7 +619,9 @@
           // require less memory.  Don't pass the --no-gui-libs option
           // on as that option is not recognized by Octave.
 
-          // This is the default for 3.8 release.
+          start_gui = false;
+          gui_libs = false;
+          file = octave_bindir + dir_sep_char + "octave-cli";
         }
       else if (! strcmp (argv[i], "--no-gui"))
         {
@@ -634,7 +631,8 @@
           // if the --no-gui option is given, we may be asked to do some
           // plotting or ui* calls.
 
-          // This option calls the cli executable for the 3.8 release.
+          start_gui = false;
+          new_argv[k++] = argv[i];
         }
       else if (! strcmp (argv[i], "--silent") || ! strcmp (argv[i], "--quiet")
                || ! strcmp (argv[i], "-q"))
@@ -697,7 +695,8 @@
         }
       else
         {
-          // Parent.  Forward signals to child while waiting for it to exit.
+          // Parent.  Forward signals to the child while waiting for it
+          // to exit.
 
           int status;