Basic questions about TinyCore Linux

[tinypoodle]

The BACKUP variable is affecting the default setting of exittc, it does not overrule choice of ticking/unticking the box.

[Kevin]

So what you're saying, then, is that automatic backup only works with the GUI, correct?

[gerald_clark]

Core is a toolkit.
You can write your own shutdown script or add a backup to /opt/shutdown.sh so exitcheck.sh will do a backup.

[Kevin]

OK everything is clear now, thanks.

I added "backup" to /opt/shutdown.sh
Then, I added the following lines to /etc/profile:

alias shutdown="/usr/bin/exitcheck.sh shutdown"
alias poweroff="/usr/bin/exitcheck.sh shutdown"
alias reboot="/usr/bin/exitcheck.sh reboot"

And then added etc/profile to /opt/.filetool.lst 

[gerald_clark]

It would be better to add your aliases to a file in /etc/profile.d.
/etc/profile might change with an update and your backup copy would overwrite it.
This may produce hard to troubleshoot problems later.

[tinypoodle]

So what you're saying, then, is that automatic backup only works with the GUI, correct?

No.
I'm saying what is automatic is a preselection of what a GUI checkbox is defaulting to.

An enforced backup at shutdown could interfere both with data safety and with user choice.

I'd suggest you consider using the minimal GUI for a while first to get familiar with the basic system administration tools included, rather than trying to imagine things.

[Kevin]

So what you're saying, then, is that automatic backup only works with the GUI, correct?

No.
I'm saying what is automatic is a preselection of what a GUI checkbox is defaulting to.

An enforced backup at shutdown could interfere both with data safety and with user choice.

I'd suggest you consider using the minimal GUI for a while first to get familiar with the basic system administration tools included, rather than trying to imagine things.

Sorry I just don't have any real use for the GUI so I don't want to start using it now and risk becoming even more confused.
I want to learn this Linux distribution in text mode, and only afterwards, if I'll ever need it, learn the GUI.

It would be better to add your aliases to a file in /etc/profile.d.
/etc/profile might change with an update and your backup copy would overwrite it.
This may produce hard to troubleshoot problems later.

Thanks, I've actually considered this but decided to not change things as I'll be keeping this machine "as is" without ever updating (a sort of hardened system that won't really ever interact with the outside world).