Generally the only time I do a new install is when I get a new computer. Yet I like an up-to-date distro, so I always do a dist-upgrade of my Ubuntu laptop whenever a new version comes out.
The reason I hate a reinstall is that I have god knows how many programs installed, many of which required fiddling to get them working. Did I document what I did to install them? Of course not. I mean "It's working. Yay! Time for beer." Then there's the issue of user configurations. Sure, config files for applications are in ~/, but what about the configurations for the desktop and for Ubuntu itself? And do those application config files include all the plugins, add-ons and extensions? Will Firefox remember the theme and plugins I have installed? Will Openoffice.org find my Zotero library so I can add a reference to a term paper? I figure a reinstall will take at least two full days, days mostly filled with swearing in several languages. I really don't want to do a reinstall, yet there is something messed up in Xorg, Gnome, or bluetooth on my Jaunty laptop. I have tried and tried to fix it, but there are just too many files, libraries, modules and settings. Things are working, except I have currently lost the bluetooth mouse again. I am giving serious consideration to a fresh install when Karmic goes final. Plus, the timing is good - I have no big projects underway at the moment. Of course, I will do a full backup beforehand. In fact, I will do it several times - to a hard disk, to DVDs, and again to the hard disk using a different backup strategy. Before I detrepidate myself and undertake this effort I could use information about how to get a list (printout) of all installed applications. I could also use a list of all configurations that I have made to Ubuntu, including a list of all repositories I have enabled. And I could use a list of a lot of other things needed to get me back where I am, things that I haven't even thought of yet. Suggestions and comments will be gratefully received. _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
