Critical info (was Upgrading...)

[Oren Beck]

On 1/5/07, Jonathan Hutchins <hutchins at tarcanfel.org> wrote:
>
> (Regarding the identity config info that's independent of program
> preferences,
> like mail account logins and address book, and their lack of portability.)
>
> > On Friday 05 January 2007 11:36, Jonathan Hutchins wrote:
> > > I don't know what the answer is, but there oughta be a better way.
>
> On Friday 05 January 2007 11:42, Luke -Jr wrote:
> > Perhaps start a FreeDesktop project for creating common configuration
> > files. eg, ~/.irc-client or such
>
> I don't think we need binary compatibility; that precludes advances in how
> the
> info is stored.
>
> Perhaps something from the old FIDOnet BBS days would be good - a common
> format (XML?) user-readable text file that is read whenever it's
> changed/updated and compiled into whatever format a given program uses;
> and
> is updates if changes are made within that program's interface.
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A trick from the ms office flaws mitigation toolkit may fit here.
It has become common in some workplaces for all the "that user"
data on their desktop pc to live in the "My Documents" folder.
The stark simplistic modeling of that is defined as:

Admin will *TRY* to  back up your "My Documents" folder and *ATTEMPT* to
restore it if your PC is updated or replaced.
Anything you care about should be backed up by YOU using the provided backup
methods. Implied of course it that anything NOT in the
"My Documents" folder and NOT backed up by the user may be not there as NO
attempt to save other stuff will be made.
****Oh, YOU are that "Admin" on your own system of course!***

The trick I propose then becomes simple.in concept at least.

MAKE the location of the data unique to a "user" reside in a defined
"folder".  Better still- a USB drive AND a defined folder. Then make a
template for the new distro or whatever to fill in it's blanks from.
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