Ubuntu 10.04 was released on April 29, 2010 and it is also codenamed Lucid Lynx and is the successor to Karmic Koala (9.10). Lucid Lynx is an LTS (Long Term Support) release. It will be supported with security updates until April 2013 for the desktop version and until April 2015 for the server version. Ubuntu Desktop edition installer no longer allows a custom installation of GRUB, and it now uses GRUB2 (which allows very little customization). DO NOT USE the Lucid Lynx Desktop edition if you use a boot partition, use multiple OS (more than 2), or chain-load boot-loaders.
After fresh installation of Ubuntu, all of the applications previously installed must be reinstalled. Many packages, dependencies, and compatibilities change between versions of Ubuntu. This includes possible extensions for Firefox, open office, etc. Users don’t know after a while, how they upgraded their system. However, their requirement is for the programs to work like they used to earlier. If you upgrade your Ubuntu system with a fresh install, it is possible to mark the packages and services installed on your old system (prior to the upgrade) and save the settings (“markings”) into a file. Then install the new version of Ubuntu and allow the system to reinstall packages and services using the settings saved in the “markings” file. This is certainly one of the solutions.
Other solutions for the given issue are as illustrated below.
Solution 1: Software installation history files for reinstall after upgrade.
Using synaptic, one can create a file, even a simple text file would do, that tracks the changes to the manually installed packages, i.e. the additional software downloaded and installed by the user. If the user wants to install that software after an upgrade, he must only import this file into synaptic – or the Ubuntu software centre from where all the applications will be automatically reinstalled. This way of backup of computer system can also be maintained. Main advantage of this method is to simplify reinstallation of applications after reinstall or upgrade of the OS.
Solution 2: Automatic synchronization of software across multiple computers. In many jobs, people need to take care of several computer systems including laptop, notebooks, desktop, etc. The installation file on Ubuntu one could be synced across multiple computers.
For example: If a particular program is installed on one of the computers, it is automatically installed once another computer is booted up, which is synced with the Ubuntu-one installation file. If the Ubuntu-one installation file is more recent than the local file on the computer, the new file from Ubuntu-one is automatically downloaded and imported into synaptic/software centre. Advantage: Fast and easy way of keeping all computers in network up-to-date.
Solution 3: Synching list of applications to Ubuntu One. List of applications can be synched to Ubuntu One that can be later imported to Synaptic or Software Center. Whenever you install or load new apps or PPA’s you should auto-sync the list.
Solution 4: Automatic backup and synchronization of sources list for repositories. Users may add certain repositories. These repositories and keys are contained in the source list. In addition to backing up and syncing the individual applications using Ubuntu one, the sources list could also be backed up and synchronized across plural computers using Ubuntu one.
