Bleachbit

[amethyst_igor]

Bleachbit is still actively developed. I recommend getting the latest version from the author, because Linux Mint's, I believe, is outdated. Older versions seemed to have some problems and that may explain in part Cosmo's dislike of the program.

I consider Bleachbit a useful program. It is useful for those with low space. Although modern hard drives are big, some partitions and SSDs and USB sticks are not, and Bleachbit offers a quick and easy way to free up space. There are many examples of partitions with limited space even in today's world.

It is useful to wipe files. I don't know of any other Linux wiper with a GUI, although there may be one. So, tell me of a superior alternative.

If you are selling an old hard drive on E-bay, like I do, or giving a computer away, then you should wipe the drive to eliminate any trace of passwords and identity information. Bleachbit has that capability. This is a better alternative, environmentally, than destroying the hard drive. At least some one gets to use the hardware. In older versions, Bleachbit would hang during this wipe procedure, but that bug has been eliminated.

[atari800]

Can Bleachbit securely erase a usb stick ?

Yes but it would be the wrong tool for that task. Bleachbit can accomplish many jobs (although there is disagreement with my logic at times - and I am NOT continuing THAT discussion) but it is not an ALL PURPOSE FIX IT TOOL.

You asking about securely erasing a usb, to me, sounds like:
A) you got some really sensitive apps/files on there
B) USB is a portable device and your giving it to someone else
C) the other person is possibly technically proficient to use an undelete app or a "read from raw device" app to look for stuff

I would suggest using SHRED for this USB to put mind at ease
*A nice article on SHRED

[MartyMint]

5 people will post in any given BleachBit thread about how BleachBit has worked flawlessly for them...

...and...

...20 people won't post (mostly due to embarrassment) about how BleachBit hosed their entire system and made their important and un-backed up data disappear.

You ever try and get files back with Test Disk? Man...it's ugly...

[atari800]

5 people will post in any given BleachBit thread about how BleachBit has worked flawlessly for them...

...and...

...20 people won't post (mostly due to embarrassment) about how BleachBit hosed their entire system and made their important and un-backed up data disappear.

I love hard facts...

Replace word in RED with :
ReiserFS
1st Gen SSD
Newer Kernel
AMD Video Driver
...etc

[killer de bug]

Are we going to have again the same discussion that we had already fifteen times? The same discussion with the same people and the same arguments?

[majpooper]

Yep - here we go again.

Someone, somewhere posted some very good guidelines for Bleachbit that I found useful and have used several times with not ill effects. Like most things Bleachbit can be dangerous if you have no idea what you are doing (not that has stopped me in my illustrious Linux wannabe expert past). On the other hand Bleachbit can be a useful tool if used wisely.

Anyway here are the guidelines, they are kind of general and depends exactly what apps and browsers you use. Again I use these every so often and have had no issues whatever - wish I could give credit where credit is due but I cannot recall now exactly where these came from but definitely a trusted source.

1.) APT - Don't check anything here. I prefer to use "sudo apt-get autoclean" and "sudo apt-get autoremove" so I can observe what's going on inside the Terminal when I run these commands.

2.) Bash - Check this to clear your history of Terminal commands.

3.) Chromium - Check everything here except passwords.

4.) Deep Scan - Don't check anything here.

5.) Firefox - Check everything here except crash reports and passwords.

6.) Flash - Check everything here.

7.) Libre Office - Check everything here.

8.) System - Don't check anything here when running as User; instead, I enable some of these when running as Administrator; see below***

9.) VLC Media Player - Check everything here.

10.) X11 Debug Logs - Don't check anything here.

***Running Bleachbit as Administrator:

1.) APT - Again, do not check anything here.

2.) Deep Scan - Again, do not check anything here.

3.) System - Here I'm very conservative. I only check broken desktop files, clipboard, recent documents list, temporary files, and trash. Leave everything else unchecked.

[LinuxJim]

Are we going to have again the same discussion that we had already fifteen times? The same discussion with the same people and the same arguments?

Nope - at least not from me.

[Cosmo.]

Are we going to have again the same discussion that we had already fifteen times?

Obviously, but not surprisingly. With a new appearance: Instead of arguments self-declared "wisely" re-writes of advices, which exist already 1001 times. So at the end indeed nothing than repetitions.

[amethyst_igor]

Are we going to have again the same discussion that we had already fifteen times?

Obviously, but not surprisingly. With a new appearance: Instead of arguments self-declared "wisely" re-writes of advices, which exist already 1001 times. So at the end indeed nothing than repetitions.

That's pretty much what forums are.
If I need novelty, I'll pick up a book by one of my favorite writers.

[atari800]

I am good here.
The all star cast participated and had their famous keywords spoken about BB

@majpooper - nice info there. Too bad you cant find source or site it originated from.

[don250r]

If this BleachBit is anything like the overly glorified CCleaner for Windows, then it deserves the same recognition.
None at all

My 2 cents

[amethyst_igor]

I found what I expected to find: the naysayers have no GUI alternative to Bleachbit.
If you don't need a program, it's certainly easy to find fault with it. No need to learn its ways, figure out how to use it, or any of that.
But when you service a large number of hard drives... Bleachbit comes in handy--and CCleaner, too, on Windows. Standard utilities, kept on a USB stick for quick access.