Re: Automated downloads for duplicate laptops

[Andrew Reid <reidac@bellatlantic.net>]

On Friday 15 August 2008 21:12, ZephyrQ wrote:
> I'm trying to set up five (5) laptops for classroom use with limited
> menu options and specific programs that I use in my special ed
> classroom.  I have numerous packages that I would like to automate the
> downloads (instead of picking and clicking), to the tune of about 850M
> worth.
>
> Any way to do this quicker/easier than pointing and clicking for every
> computer?

  Set up one machine the way you like, and do
# dpkg --get-selections > selections.dat

  Then do a basic set-up on each other machine, enough so they'll
boot and you can transfer the package selections file, and so they
can see the same source of packages.  On each of the subsequent
machines, do:

# dpkg --clear-selections
# dpkg --set-selections < selections.dat
# apt-get dselect-upgrade

  Then all machines will have the same package state.

					-- A.
-- 
Andrew Reid / reidac@bellatlantic.net