SystemRestore

Differences between revisions 2 and 3
Revision 2 as of 2006-11-05 06:37:29
Size: 2429
Editor: c-69-251-20-244
Comment: new spec!
Revision 3 as of 2006-11-05 06:42:19
Size: 2468
Editor: c-69-251-20-244
Comment: spice up usage cases
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 * Usage1: I install xgl. It borks my X but I do not remember what kind of tweaks I did. I hit "Restore System" under System > Administration and all is back  * Usage1: Marx installs xgl. It borks his X but I do not remember what kind of tweaks he did. He hits "Restore System" under System > Administration and all is back
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 * Usage2: An upgrade breaks my system and borks dpkg. I hit "System Restore" and my system is back.  * Usage2: An upgrade breaks Patricia Hill's system and borks dpkg. She hits "System Restore" and her system is back.
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 * Usage3: I will upgrade to Firefox2 using a custom repository. I hit "Create System Restore Point" worrying that it might break my good old Firefox.  * Usage3: Bill will upgrade to Firefox2 using a custom repository. He hits "Create System Restore Point" worrying that it might break his good old Firefox.
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 * Usage4: I dist-upgraded from 6.06 to 6.10... Ubuntu created a "System Restore Point" before the dist-upgrade in case it breaks the system. It broke my system indeed. I hit "System Restore" and my working 6.06 is back.  * Usage4: Daly dist-upgraded from 6.06 to 6.10... Ubuntu created a "System Restore Point" before the dist-upgrade in case it breaks the system. It broke her system indeed. She hist "System Restore" and her working 6.06 is back.

Summary

Ubuntu should backup the system configurations every time an important configuration file was tweaked or a package was installed / upgraded (the "Windows Style", sorry to say) and restore the system upon request to the last known sane time.

Rationale

Use cases

  • Usage1: Marx installs xgl. It borks his X but I do not remember what kind of tweaks he did. He hits "Restore System" under System > Administration and all is back

  • Usage2: An upgrade breaks Patricia Hill's system and borks dpkg. She hits "System Restore" and her system is back.
  • Usage3: Bill will upgrade to Firefox2 using a custom repository. He hits "Create System Restore Point" worrying that it might break his good old Firefox.
  • Usage4: Daly dist-upgraded from 6.06 to 6.10... Ubuntu created a "System Restore Point" before the dist-upgrade in case it breaks the system. It broke her system indeed. She hist "System Restore" and her working 6.06 is back.

Scope

The feature enables users to trust their system's stability:

  • Upgrades cannot bork the system
  • Dist-upgrades cannot bork the system
  • A bad package cannot bork the system
  • An X breakage can easily recovered from
  • Complex customizations of the system can easily be undone

Implementation

Outstanding issues

  • "System Restore" may be copyrighted and / or patented by Microsoft... We might need to find a new name, or even a new way to back up the system.
  • Hard Disk space usage: backing up system configuration files and old deb packages will force us to increase minimum hdd space standards (of a new install) if this feature is enabled...

Discussion

CategorySpec

SystemRestore (last edited 2009-01-04 14:38:52 by 78-86-59-105)