Ubuntu 9.04 Cleanup With Computer Janitor
Computer Janitor
The idea behind Computer Janitor is that it will help you clean up those files that you no longer need, thus saving space on your computer. Now, before you begin…note that this program has the potential of doing damage if used incorrectly so be sure your critical data is backed up.
Here is a list of .deb packages that were used to install applications. These .deb packages are no longer needed so Computer Janitor is saying they can be removed. Click the “Cleanup” button and they are removed. If you have doubts about what it wants to remove simply uncheck the box for that item.
When you click the remove you see this warning.
This is a frustrating warning. You as a user are trusting the Computer Janitor to find those files which can be cleaned up and the warning says “It will be your fault if Computer Janitor toasts your system.” I think the developers put this in because it did toast so many systems in the previous Ubuntu release. If you check the number of rants about this program you will probably decide it is not worth taking the chance.
Summary:
Avoid this program as you will end up being one of those angry at losing programs you are using. This application does not seem to be as mature as it should be in a release.
.
BeginLinux 
>Avoid this program
How true!
> Here is a list of .deb packages that were used to install applications. These .deb packages are no longer needed so Computer Janitor is saying they can be removed.
That’s what i thought when i first saw this new Janitor app after upgrading to 9.04. Ubuntu is friendly and safe, i thought. For once, I can proceed without learning the details of the program… Cleanup! — i click, and voila: Janitor happily *uninstalls* Truecrypt, Beyond Compare and XmlCopyEditor for me.
I’m lucky, though. I can get these applications back without much hassle, so the lesson was not too expensive for me. Do not trust, and you won’t be betrayed.
It happily uninstalled Songbird, Yo Frankie and probably some other stuff for me. I so wont be using it again!
To me, he offers to uninstall dropbox . . .
really avoid using it , i used it then it removed some packages that netbeans IDE needed them
I love this program! But…
1. to avoid removing necessary dependencies one needs a description of programs related to them…
2. it would be easier if there were 3 columns: program, list of programs in need of it, check box – remove or keep; maybe other columns to describe the origin and location of the file
Best regards
useless program … uninstalled skype and a couple of libraries ….
extra hassle for no gain whatsoever …
Had the same problem! Posted my experiences at http://ubuntuliving.blogspot.com/2009/08/careful-with-janitor.html
Also linked to your blog.
This janitor uninstalled Crossover office and truecrypt. How silly of me to trust this crap without Googling it first.
TG I found the original install packages from my home directory with the search function in file browser
I ran it, it suggested I uninstall adobe acrobat reader, which I use all the time and nothing else, i.e. things like the HP printing system or smbclient which I never use.
What a piece of junk! I am tempted to write one that works! How hard is it?
out_of_date_time = settings.out_of_date_time or one_month_ago;
compute_package_atimes();
for package in packages:
if package.atime < out_of_date_time:
idle_packages.append(package)
else
active_packages.append(package)
for idle in idle_packages:
if not active_packages.any(lambda active: active.uses(idle)):
candidates_for_deletion.append(idle)
……
Well i though computer janitor only removed “no longer needed files”? Yeah right!
It completley removed my songbird even though it said it was a package no longer needed. I have a limited bandwidth internet connection and now i will have to re download songbird all over again.
Thanks a lot “computer janitor” this is a ridiculous piece of software!!, that should not be allowed to be attached whatsoever to ubuntu’s OS. It is misleading, and can not be trusted to manage any type of file removal.
What a piece of garbage! I will never use it again and highly recommend that no one ever trust it especially if you are a newby.
Anyone know what algorithm it uses to determine which programs are ‘unused’?
…’cause it managed to ID Opera as unused while it was running, which I thought was a pretty impressive feat… (I promptly quit out, Google’d it and wound up here; I was only running it to find out what it was).
I wonder that if it is useless then why it is in ubuntu at all.
one other thing, how much disk-space will be freed if you take a risk of removing some packages? disk-space is no longer any problem anymore.
good luck
I M new to computers. Somehow ended up with Ubuntu. Quite a challenge. Gunshy about comp jan. Still cant burn playable disks that will play on Dvd plyr. Would B nice To find a site I can get led down the right path with. Really Dig the technology. Wanna get hip to it w/o F*****g up my system. Cant afford the Geek Squad or other Pros. Suggestion Anyone?
Opera is my default browser and janitor is suggesting I remove it!? Like zpc Opera was running while janitor selected it to be removed.
AVOID this program!
computer janitor is a piece of shit