[ubuntu-uk] Spare partition - add to /home?

[Bruno Girin]

On Sun, 2010-02-28 at 15:30 +0000, Dianne Reuby wrote:
> I have a spare ex-XP partition which I don't need now. I'm wondering
> which would be best - to delete it and expand my /home partition, or
> keep it as a separate (Ubuntu) partition for photos and music?
> 
> I know people do have partitions for this sort of thing, but are there
> any advantages or disadvantages to either setup?

The advantages and disadvantages come from the fact that you partition a
resource (in a generic sense of the word "partition").

Pros of separate partitions:
      * It enables you to segregate media (photos + music) from you home
        folder.
      * If the media partition is full, it won't affect your home
        partition.
      * You can encrypt the home partition while leaving the media
        partition un-encrypted.
      * You could set up the media partition with ACL support so that
        you can create photos and music directories in it that are
        shared by all users and that all users can update, if you have
        more than one user on the machine.
      * Any situation where you want to handle home and media
        differently may be helped by having different partitions.

Cons:
      * It's less flexible so you may end up with one partition 90%
        full, the other one 10% full.
      * Setting it up so that it's transparent to applications like
        fSpot or Rhythmbox may be complicated.

I have probably forgotten things and others may disagree with my list.

Bruno