Hy the question may look weird because one of the coolest thing in Linux is for install or update the SW with Synaptic (ubuntu) or the equivalents of the other distro

But this work well here in the EU or in US, but in other context will not work

As example i plan to go back in Africa were many more of what you may think have a computer but very few may pay for decent internet connection (last time i was here the price of 1 mounth 1MB connection was equivalent at 2 months rent of a 5 rooms house with hyuge garden and dependencies, )

well to make the story short i plan to go back there at soon the situation will allow, and many of my friends have, often even good PC, all running Windows, and almost none of them may connect (if not from their Office, or occasionally from internet cafe)

It seems that i am the only linux users, also because install and update Linux without a connection seems a pain, while you may found here all windows programs on Cd or Dvd,for a few cents

So i will like do something to promote linux, for passion in most of cases, and in other to case gain respect and, why not, a few bucks (i saw businessmen doing delicate transitions from unecrypted wireless connection and unprotected computers,... the chief of the bank that i was using has her work PC protected by a 3 word password: her initials )

I will have no problem to install dual boot even taking care of back up, but once installed i would be forced to explain how to keep the OS updated, and in many cases to provide DVD and how to

Note that i WILL HAVE a decent connection, so i may download and burn on dvd what needed , but for the how to i just have no a hint,( search gave me too results mostly seems written in a nerd only language )

But i suppose may be explained with simple words:
1 may access to the net and download what needed, how to help the other 99 with same OS that can't access to the net, to mantain everything updated ?

PS other way to solve may be:
when i update my own PC how i may also (more or less)automatically burn a copy of what needed on a DVD, so updates may be shared ?

Photocomix,

You can create a local update repository and enable it via your package manager's config fiile.

For example, Fedora uses RPM so just I would create a folder, mount the DVD containing the files, then point my package manager at the folder. The DVD becomes a local update repository.

The problem you'll run into is dependencies. Everything works fine as long as you have ALL the dependencies but when one is missing, it leads to another that's missing and you end up in dependency hell.

I think your best bet is to DL the full update repo (and whatever other repos you need) and place them on some kind of external storage, like a portable external drive. If your repos are small enough, you can use a thumb drive or DVD. Then, mount the device to a specific folder and configure your package manager to point to that folder. Run your updates as normal and it will look to the local media for the updates.

i don't know if a full update repo for Ubuntu exist, i never heard of something alike ...anyway if i could find it , that would be a good solution,...i would have no problem for a storage hd

Seems to me, but maybe I misunderstood , that if you don't have an internet connection that there is no need to be updated all the time. A new distro every 6 months will be enough.

if you don't have an internet connection that there is no need to be updated all the time.

you don't have at home for the price, but then, any chance to connect,(i.e in a office you are working ) will be quickly grabbed...

You can find a full list of official Ubuntu repositories, including update repos, here.

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+archivemirrors

Or you locate current mirrors in: /etc/apt/mirror.list

Pick one at random, say Internode, and drill down..



Drilling on down, click on distros



From there, you can select the repository for version of Ubuntu you're using..



I also understand you can create a full repository mirror using a utility called: apt-mirror

http://www.arsgeek.com/2007/02/14/how-t ... pt-mirror/

That may be overkill for what you are trying to do, which is a local repo on a hard drive rather than a LAN/IP connected local repo, but some of the same steps will apply.

There is also a utility called: APTonCD - It may not be robust enough for what you're doing but it's probably worth checking out.

Thank Gnutux i think this will solve

PC,

Look in your Administration menu and see if you have the app APTonCD. This allows you to burn a copy of your locally cached packages, which can be later loaded on another system using the same app.

So, you would update your system, then use this app to create a CD with the updates, then use as needed...

now this sound easier and esier,
...i hope that APTonCD may also work to "APTonDVD" but anyway would be no a big problem

thank for the tips i was fearing something more complex