managing multiple eclipses and plugins

[rusi]

Hi

There are a number of different plugins that I wish to try and they
work best in different eclipses.
All the different eclipses sit as /opt/eclipseX.Y
[I am on linux]

Is there a best practice for the plugins and eclipse management? eg

- Where to store them?
- How to minimize breakage (eg if plugin p breaks eclipse4.2 but not
3.7)
- How to have separated 3.7 and 4.2 sandboxes?
- Turn on/off bunches of plugins (especially those that are breaking
eclipse but also those that are just slowing it down)
- etc etc?

Note: If I just had to reinstall from plugins that are downloaded
every time its not great but its ok. But having to redownload every
time is quite a drag...

[If this is not the right group for this please excuse and if a more
appropriate one is suggested I'll be grateful]