Is it worth the trouble to upgrade?

[mstlyevil]

If for some reason you do decide to upgrade,back up any data you want saved and do a clean install. This will save you much possible grief and will give you a sleek and clean install.

[jonrkc]

If for some reason you do decide to upgrade,back up any data you want saved and do a clean install. This will save you much possible grief and will give you a sleek and clean install.

Thanks, that's what I would do. I'd already decided there's too much risk involved in just letting Synaptic upgrade from revised repositories, though of course I'm glad that works for some people.

I back up all my personal data, graphic files, etc. in three places regularly, so the chance of losing any of that is very small. (Though I still don't have offsite backup!)

But the trouble with the clean install is that, while it's easy to put back the personal files, the many programs I need or like to use all have to be laboriously installed and customized again, as they depend on so many libraries and system files that will have been changed by the upgrade--and of course there's no guarantee they will still work, either! I've had that happen plenty of times.

However, I'd have exactly the same difficulty with an upgrade that consisted of merely updating and upgrading from the repositories.

So I'll just wait...and look forward to the dreaded day!

[majikstreet]

Breezy rocks. I would say upgrade.... I dunno about your internet connection though... if you have dial-up, I really don't know what to say.

[ember]

Stay with Hoary I would say. Breezy has some nice eyecandy, but not too much new for the daily life of a linux computer. And there are enough people (me included) that experience that Breezy is a less stable than hoary.

[raublekick]

Other than the fact that it's free, I don't see the need to hurry. Hell, there's still people using Windows 98 SE, and if that is working for them than more power to 'em. Unless Breezy has some awesome feature that you just can't live without, who's to say that Hoary isn't right for you?

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should

[poofyhairguy]

It was worth it for evince and new totem for me.

[jonrkc]

I have fairly speedy DSL connection, so that's no problem. But I have very simple computer needs: email, the news (I refuse to watch TV though I did catch the Scorsese Bob Dylan thing), spreadsheet, JPilot, and that's about it. The Gimp is speedy enough on what I've got and more than I need for my digital photos. I use IceWM without either the KDE or Gnome desktop, so nothing to gain there... A few KDE programs on a stand-alone basis (ha! that's a pretty good inside joke, isn't it?).

So I think I'll stick with this Hoary Hedgehog till it's too sick to limp back home every night.

I appreciate all the good advice! Thanks. The Ubuntu forums are really helpful, and I sure can't say that about some others I won't name.