To clarify, on MacOS X the archive and install method makes
an archive of all user accounts and applications. It effectively
then moves of all the system related directories aside into a
subdirectory in a Previous Systems folder so that all the system
related directories are reinstalled cleanly. Afterwards, the user
accounts, network settings and applications are restored. It actually
works pretty well. The only thing that typically needs to be
reinstalled are things like Norton Antivirus or Cisco VPN that
installs kernel extensions.
While I can understand that the rpm system probably makes it
impossible to archive and restore 'applications', Fedora could be
modified to allow for the user accounts to be archived and restored
after 'clean' install on the existing partitions. That alone with be
a great improvement.
Jack
