directory backup

dirbackup.sh

tar -czf - ./dir | (pv -p --timer --rate --bytes > backup/$(date +"%Y.%d.%m-%H.%M").tgz)

A quick way of backing up a list of programs is to run this:

dpkg --get-selections > ~/Package.list
sudo cp -R /etc/apt/sources.list* ~/
sudo apt-key exportall > ~/Repo.keys
It will back them up in a format that dpkg can read* for after your reinstall, like this:

sudo apt-key add ~/Repo.keys
sudo cp -R ~/sources.list* /etc/apt/
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install dselect
sudo dselect update
sudo dpkg --set-selections < ~/Package.list
sudo apt-get dselect-upgrade -y