Feature Request: Ubuntu
I have been using Kubuntu 7.04 (Feisty) from past month and it was unbelievable experience. I have used Windows for using Lotus Notes and Google Talk only. KDE is becoming better day by day. WPA integration in Kubuntu with support for latest drivers for NVidia was a great plus in Feisty release. I think, if I could run Google Talk somehow in Linux then that will be last nail in my Windows installation and the next day I will format my hard drive to have only one OS. (No need to mention that will be Kubuntu!)
Before that happens, I have one more feature request for Kubuntu / Ubuntu. I have spent lots of time in customizing my installation. Drivers, Beryl, Themes, Development programs and other small stuff. All the programs were installed on ad-hoc basis or when I needed them. I don’t want to go through the same cycle again. It will be great to have installation persistence utility. This utility should do following:
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Remember all the package names which I installed using apt. This should be fairly small file having hundreds of entries of softwares.
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I don’t want to take backup of installed packages /usr or /opt on my external hard drives etc. because if next time I go for 64 bit installation (currently I have 32 bit installation) then all my backup won’t work.
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When next time, I install a fresh system, I should be able to give this configuration file generated by installation persistence utility. The utility should be intelligent enough to pull all the packages to their latest version and make my installation up-to-date. This way, I don’t need to repeat the same exercise I did in the last installation.
I know that, with few shell scripts that would have been easily possible, but I don’t want to write a custom shell script for that. I want this should be part of my Ubuntu installation. This way, I don’t need to port my shell scripts.
Once the basic infrastructure is in place, I would love to see more features like migration of documents and data files. Applying desktop and theme settings on fresh desktop etc. This way, the distribution installation and switches will become very simple.
Thank you Kubuntu!