Restore installed packages

Just restoring the packages without restoring any of their configuration won't work that well, surely the solution is a system-wide backup.

Presumably the user's settings are restored as well (the default backup is for all of $HOME to be backed up).

So we'd lose /etc configuration without specifically backing it up (which isn't supported very well right now because we don't ask for proper permissions). That's not the worst thing ever, but you're right that it would make this more useful.

Now I see how complex is to develop this program.

I have some features ideas (and forgive that, I don't know how to code)

Full system backup: As Michael Terry said in question https://answers.launchpad.net/deja-dup/+question/151349 right know using duplicity for the full system backup is not a real solution. A package list to restore later is a good approach.

Cons: a distro CD/DVD is needed to restore the system and some programs installed without the package system will be lost.

We linux users usually know how to backup and restore the system even if we are not programmers but maybe in the future the linux quota could grow and reach another demographic group, maybe more high brand computers could be sold with a preinstalled distro and better restore systems will be needed, of course, linux is open source and surely companies like hp, toshiba, etc will develop those systems for their computers.

What about a future option to make a booteable restore CD/DVD in deja dup?? I know it is complex.

Deja dup checks the system first, check the installed packages, then check files installed without a package manager and package configuration. (and that sounds distro specific and for that reason I know this will keep in wishlist forever) then it backs up the files that will not be restored by the package list and by user demands (optional) it can download the installed packages and save it in the backup. Finally with all that info it makes a live CD with minimal files to restore system in case of a system break, in that minimal live cd with UI user choose the location of the back up to restore the system, in case of having the packages in the backup it will restore them, otherwise it could download in the restore environment, in case the internet is not available the the packages can be automatically restored after first boot into the real system.

Again, forgive me for just give ideas, some day I will contribute to the community with real code.

Miguelángel León, I like the idea of creating a "restore disc" or something. There's actually already a wishlist bug 320010 for it. But you're right that it would be complicated. Not something I was planning on tackling too soon.