Re: Upgrading with a low data cap

[songbird <songbird@anthive.com>]

Richard Owlett wrote:

> All my machines have use Stretch DVD1 for installation.
> I have a low monthly data cap - currently at my limit.
> One machine has an apt-get update and upgrade with the addition of some 
> packages not on DVD1.
> I've not intentionally deleted any cached files.
> Is it possible to use the cached data on another machine?
> What should I be reading?
> TIA

  i keep it simple.

  anytime i download a package which ends up in
/var/cache/apt/archives i make a copy of it to
an external device.  from then on any time i need
it i can copy it back without having to redownload
it.

  i also make sure that my configuration for apt
includes the flag for keeping things and not 
getting rid of them unless i explicitly request it.

  i set this right after the base system install.

APT::Clean-Installed "false";

  once i have the system installed and any downloaded
packages backed up to the external device then i
manually run the following once in a while (after
copying any new ones to my backup).

# apt-get autoclean

  i used to run on dialup and hated how long it took
for some things to download.  the package debdelta 
did help some at that time, but i have no idea if the 
service is even still there let alone functional.


  songbird