[ubuntu-uk] Best way to contribute to Ubuntu? - was Re: 12.04 has locked me out of my account

[kpb]

On 03/05/12 23:22, Alan Pope wrote:
> If everyone just re-installed the OS whenever the wind changed 
> direction we'd end up with a significantly worse OS as a result. When 
> everyone keeps telling everyone else to reinstall, we end up with the 
> state that Windows is in. Everyone thinks that's the solution, and it 
> isn't, by some margin. My advice is if you don't know how to fix 
> something, find someone who does, don't just bulldoze the house down 
> and build another one when a pipe leaks. 
Hello Alan and all

Right ok, this has challenged a basic assumption I have been making 
since the days of 6.06/8.04. Assumptions are meant to be challenged of 
course, so that's fine.

I have always had a separate /home and reinstalled when changing 
version. I have done that partially because that was the advice when 
using Mac OS before I started using Ubuntu, and partially from advice 
about Ubuntu that was around then.

During 12.04 testing there were appeals from Canonical people and Ubuntu 
members to get involved in iso testing, especially installation using 
'default settings', so I did.

What would be the best way to contribute during the 12.10 cycle? Are you 
suggesting that I should have a test box that I keep 12.04 on and then 
try upgrading it to 12.10 at regular intervals? My recollection is that 
an upgrade path does not become available until late in testing.