LTS Kubuntu

[Wallace]

I'm curious do people actually keep the same OS on their computer for 3-5 years? Personally I find part of the fun is distro-hopping. I figure I've installed just about every distro at one time or the other in the last 8 years. I think Ubuntu 5.04 was my first run at Linux. I've been basically running Kubuntu 12.04 for the last several months and am finding it without a doubt one of the best distros I've ever run (second to Debian Squeeze Gnome). But on my test machine I can't help trying the others with the hope that it will be the one! I like Windows but it was never this much fun. Is it a sickness?

[james147]

Some people do, but I find for the home user it is best to keep up to date with the latest version. LTS is best for computers where you don't care about the latest software but need a very stable computer, or for putting on a large number of computers that you don't want to upgrade very often. It is also ideal for server environments.

[dequire]

In short, and as a VAST over-generalization, users should, as james147 said, stay relatively current. Meaning, within one version of the latest release. LTS on the other hand, is more for business and professional use, whereby it's easier to support deployments of multiple computers. Think large businesses and governments. It makes sense for them to be on a LTS release as it is easier to roll out new users, standardize training, and standardize support.

[tek_heretik]

I installed 12.04 LTS because I got tired of distro hopping, it's pretty, stable, suits my needs and I don't have to worry about it. Latest isn't always the greatest, latest usually means bugs (in my experience anyway). But there is a good possibility I will install the next LTS, for upgrade sake, they release one what, every 2 or 3 years?

Edit: Yep, looks like an LTS every 2 years... http://www.ubuntugeek.com/the-ubuntu-release-cycle.html

Edit 2: As for WinDOHS, too snoopy, too buggy, too spammy, too bloated, TOO CONTROLLING. I don't like the way software and hardware vendors bend so easily to MS and kiss so much MS bum, makes me want to throw up.

[Wallace]

I installed 12.04 LTS because I got tired of distro hopping, it's pretty, stable, suits my needs and I don't have to worry about it. Latest isn't always the greatest, latest usually means bugs (in my experience anyway). But there is a good possibility I will install the next LTS, for upgrade sake, they release one what, every 2 or 3 years?

Well they all have bugs new and old. Sometimes fixes don't come until a new release. For example I had a problem with Kopete that wasn't fixed till KDE 4.9.3. Had I stuck to the stock 4.8.5 it would probably have never been fixed. A big thanks to backports for this one!

I think the longest I ever stayed with one distro was 1 1/2 years (Maverick) and it was great. I also stuck with Debian Squeeze for about 1 1/2 years. Guess I suffer from GUI fatigue and feel the need to tinker. Kubuntu 12.04 is probably the first KDE distro I've ever used. Still have an inkling for Gnome in my blood. So far Cinnamon seems to be working for me, but any of the recent gnome3 distros out there have just stopped me cold in my tracks for one reason or another. KDE 4.9 just seems to do everything I want. Probably hang on to it till KDE 5 comes out and then decide. But its fun to play with them all in my opinion.

[tek_heretik]

But its fun to play with them all in my opinion.

Oh for sure, but all my HDDs are spoken for. I need a spare junker to play and experiment, get my tinker 'fix', lol.

[james147]

I installed 12.04 LTS because I got tired of distro hopping, it's pretty, stable, suits my needs and I don't have to worry about it. Latest isn't always the greatest, latest usually means bugs (in my experience anyway). But there is a good possibility I will install the next LTS, for upgrade sake, they release one what, every 2 or 3 years?

Most of the problems with upgrading are generally fixed within the first few weeks after release (this is due to a lack of beta testers that are needed to find all the bugs), if you wait a month before upgrading then you shouldn't have much of a problem and still be newer software then ships with the LTS.

Non LTS versions aren't any less stable or more buggy then the LTS versions, LTS versions are just stable for longer as they have a longer life.

[james147]

Oh for sure, but all my HDDs are spoken for. I need a spare junker to play and experiment, get my tinker 'fix', lol.

What about a vm? They don't need to take up much space on an existing HDD, and come with snap-shotting for when you break something while you tinker

[jpenguin]

I usually wait 'bout a month, but I don't stay on LTS

[oshunluvr]

I keep LTS on my server and on many of the other computers I service for the family: My wife, daughter, mother-in-law, and sons. My personal desktop has an LTS install plus several other distros which always includes the latest Kubuntu version.

[sixonetonoffun]

I like LTS as long as its a good one. I like the stable updates Kubuntu/Ubuntu currently provides through backports. Seriously doubt I'll see the 2yr mark let alone the 5yr mark. But having current latest greatest isn't always that great unless you have time to wait for fixes or are a guru. I like the openSUSE release cycle dual boot keep the stable released version for productivity and play with the factory or pre release on a secondary drive or usb stick. But not all pushed releases are that stable!

While I am using Kubuntu 12.04.1 LTS version its far from any official release. Back not so long ago when kernel was going through bumps with certain hardware ect.. it was even more of a big deal. Often an upgraded kernel would leave my Kubuntu unable to boot. So I moved on to openSUSE for a long time. I've not had a kernel upgrade not boot on 12.04. imagine dkms has something to do with this. Always keep one backup just in case but... hasn't been a need to boot it yet.

I've been running on a usb stick and its pretty cool because unlike the early days it can literally boot almost any machine I put it in fix windows ect... then put it back in my laptop easier then changing my socks. Of course the "secure boot" is probably a deal breaker there. But there is always hope a work around will come down the pipe so I can still keep my Kubuntu portable.