I want to upgrade from MEPIS 7 to 8, but I'll have to reinstall all the programs I want that MEPIS 8 doesn't come with (and, being a minimalist, remove what it has that I don't use). For instance, I'll have to download and reinstall Virtualbox, and, unless MEPIS has changed its instant messenger, remove Kopete and install Gaim because I prefer Gaim. Any suggestions on how to avoid that chore?

Unless the distro specifically offers an upgrade (update) option, I doubt that there is a method that is easier than simply re-installing everything. I just realized that this is an advantage of "rolling-release" distros such as Arch.

Even with Arch, I have run into issues when updating, and I am now leaning towards a clean install when its time for an upgrade.

As a former Mepis fan, I'm curious what v8 offers over v7.

I'm not sure; I could let you know after I try it again or install it; but I'm sure it doesn't have Virtualbox, which I use. And why don't you like MEPIS anymore? My main reason for sticking with it, besides that I'm not in a distro-hopping phase, is that it gets my wireless network running easily. That was always my first demand of a distro: that I should be able to set up my network in it at least as easily as in Windows XP.

EDIT: Looking through the menu, I find that the programs haven't changed greatly.
-New program called "Jbidwatcher," which apparently monitors online auction bidding.
-A couple of new games in the Games/Tactics and Strategy submenu.
-Image viewer called Gwenview, which I haven't seen before.
-If MEPIS 7 didn't have OpenOffice Impress, it does now. It hadn't been in the submenu.
-System-->Settings submenu now has a utility for configuring a Sony Vaio laptop.
-Layout of MEPIS Network Editor has been changed. I find these tabs slightly easier to navigate. Certainly it's at least as easy to set up my wireless network. I am typing this from the liveCD.

Other than that and the submenus being fairly different, not a great deal seems to have obviously changed.

I don't dislike Mepis. "Schizo" has filled a need for me for over a year now, and I am about to switch to something more stable (and with a higher version #). Mepis will be on the short list.

Sounds unlikely. Gaim became Pidgin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pidgin_(software) some time ago. In a typical example of what happens, some of the libs got renamed, too.