19.04 or 18.04.3 LTS?

[CanyonRoss]

Hi,

New to Kubuntu - I have recently installed 19.04 on one of my old laptops...I have been running KDE with OpenSUSE Linux for many years but the version I had was no longer supported and the newest version wouldn't install, so I decided to try Ubuntu, having read good things about it...but being used to KDE I went for Kubuntu and the installation went well and it's basically a "home from home" so I am really pleased. All seems to work well.

It's a bit late now I guess but why would one pick 19.04 or 18.04.3 LTS over the other? I appreciate the LTS has longer term support (well, duh!!) but I assume that come January 2020 when 19.04 support ends then the new one would be a case of downloading the latest version and choosing "upgrade"? Is the older LTS version more stable?

Many thanks!

Ross

[Don B. Cilly]

For me personally, it's a case of re-installing.
Upgrading one distribution from another that's already installed, tends to work... not-too-well.
Or at least it didn't in the past, it may have changed.

So usually to move from one version to a newer one, it is (or was) best to do a clean install.
It's true that backing up /home and restoring it (or having it in a separate partition and not touching it) will restore all your settings for the installed software you have.
It's also true that in some cases (like mine ;·) re-installing the software (that in not in /home) is a bit of a pain in the neck.
I use some recalcitrant apps, python modules especially can be a pain, etc.

So... it really depends on your level of customisation.
If re-installing is not much of a problem - considering that restoring your /home will take care of most settings, then you don't really need LTS.

[claydoh]

it mostly boils down to how often you want to upgrade, and whether you want a more recent version of Plasma.
18.04 is supported until 2021, with a new LTS every two years, the next one being 20.04
19.04 is supported for 9 months, with a new release every 6 months, 19.10 coming up shortly.

In either case, upgrades are done in place, without downloading a new iso, or you install fresh if that is your choice.

New Plasma versions bring bug fixes as well as new features and the like, which you do not normally get in an LTS.For 18.04 you get Plasma 5.12, currently 5.12.
19.04 comes with 5.16.4, and usually can be upgraded to a newer version if available, without upgrading the entire OS.

Seeing as you came from a long running install of your last OS, I think that LTS is closer to how you had things in Suse.


I have been a long-term upgrader. I ran one fresh from at least 13.04 through to 17.10, upgrading every six months until the ancient hard drive in my PC kicked the bucket.
Many prefer clean installs for safety reasons, but I have no issues with upgrading. of course, everyone has their own experiences. With running an LTS, there is no need to upgrade or reinstall for at least three years, so there is that bonus over the 6-month schedule.

Heck, fresh installs, if one has a separate $HOME can be done in about 15 minutes or so, so even that schedule is not terribly difficult.

[CanyonRoss]

For me personally, it's a case of re-installing.
Upgrading one distribution from another that's already installed, tends to work... not-too-well.
Or at least it didn't in the past, it may have changed.

So usually to move from one version to a newer one, it is (or was) best to do a clean install.
It's true that backing up /home and restoring it (or having it in a separate partition and not touching it) will restore all your settings for the installed software you have.
It's also true that in some cases (like mine ;·) re-installing the software (that in not in /home) is a bit of a pain in the neck.
I use some recalcitrant apps, python modules especially can be a pain, etc.

So... it really depends on your level of customisation.
If re-installing is not much of a problem - considering that restoring your /home will take care of most settings, then you don't really need LTS.

Thank you for your very helpful reply! I must admit I have, in the past, tended to clean installs rather than updates, although my desktop (running OpenSUSE) updated to the latest version without an issue. I am always a bit weary of fresh installs in case it some how messes up my system. With my desktop I have had woes with Nvidia graphics in the past, so updating has been preferable as it appeared to have kept the drivers.

Well, I guess come January I will see how I get on with a fresh install. I must admit I really quite like Kubuntu - to the point where I have been tempted to install it on the desktop...although the desktop is working well so I figured it's best to leave it alone for now! My work laptop is running Windows, I couldn't even get OpenSUSE to install because the partitioner wouldn't even recognise any of the hard drives!!!! I don't want to mess that laptop up so it generally uses Windows, unfortunately. It is a laptop that I would rather pay someone else who knows a bit better than me to try installing it! From what I gather, it may require unplugging hard drives and changing the connections etc...

Thanks again.

[Don B. Cilly]

Hey... as long as it's got KDE as a DE, you can't go wrong, really

Even though... I've tried Mint KDE, and it basically was the Complicating Simple Things Department.
I have Arch with KDE, and that is the Circumlocution Office ^10

I'm actually using Neon Unstable at the moment, but that's basically Kubuntu 18.04 with a more updated Plasma which I need for... well, clocks basically but I also like it because it's less "bugging" (no, not buggy, annoying ;·)
Kubuntu is just great.

[CanyonRoss]

Hey... as long as it's got KDE as a DE, you can't go wrong, really

Even though... I've tried Mint KDE, and it basically was the Complicating Simple Things Department.
I have Arch with KDE, and that is the Circumlocution Office ^10

I'm actually using Neon Unstable at the moment, but that's basically Kubuntu 18.04 with a more updated Plasma which I need for... well, clocks basically but I also like it because it's less "bugging" (no, not buggy, annoying ;·)
Kubuntu is just great.

Thank you, I must admit I'm pretty pleased with it and I'm glad the installation went smoothly. It is just annoying that I can't seem to get linux on my nicer laptop (Alienware 15 R2) - if I disable secure boot then Windows will not load. If I have secure boot enabled, then it doesn't seem to let me boot from a USB stick...I haven't tried disabling secure boot again, since I need Windows to work because some programmes there are only available on Windows and I must have them working. It is a pity. I am sure a Linux guru could get it to work, but it is too risky for me I think as I'm a very basic user, but I prefer the general security and reliability of a Linux system

Thanks again to the both of you who have replied.

[Don B. Cilly]

Oh, I'm sure there's people here that can help you with your laptop-secure-boot problem. Not me, but there sure are.
Maybe open a dedicated topic...

[WWDERW]

haven't tried disabling secure boot again, since I need Windows to work because some programmes there are only available on Windows and I must have them working.

Would you be able to VM Windows and run Linux otherwise? When I first made the switch over to Linux on bare metal in 2015 (messing with Linux off and on since 2010), I still had a VM of Windows as a crutch in case I needed something (at I had some very niche software that at the time didn't have Linux equivalents) that I couldn't do on Linux.

[jlittle]

I agree with claydoh, but would like to add a few points.

it mostly boils down to how often you want to upgrade...

The version upgrades take a long time, compared to fresh installs, particularly if lots of extra packages have been installed. My last upgrade to 19.04 took very roughly an hour, plus or minus a factor of 2, I didn't stick around. In the past some version upgrades gave me and lots of folks problems, some hardware related, and some with the transition to KDE plasma; but that's not normal.

Some regulars in this forum swear by fresh installs rather than upgrades. I can only think that they don't customize much, and don't install much extra stuff. Bringing a fresh install up to my desired state is a lot of work for me, even if I keep $HOME, far more than doing an upgrade.

and whether you want a more recent version of Plasma.

As well, the versions of other software may be important to you. On an LTS, software gets security updates and some bug fixes, but usually not new major versions. It's been important to me and I find it easier to upgrade Kubuntu six monthly. Sometimes even the non-LTS Ubuntu packages are not new enough, and I have to use things like PPAs, appimages, or compiling from source. You might have just a few packages you need to be up to date with, and an LTS with those methods might suit you. KDE Neon is essentially that approach for KDE software itself.

I have been a long-term upgrader. I ran one fresh from at least 13.04 through to 17.10

I'd like to say "impressive", but the Star Wars meme has made that a bit patronizing and I don't mean it that way at all. With the benefit of hindsight I'd have been far better off sticking with Kubuntu 14.04 and avoiding 15.04 and 15.10. I now use btrfs, partly so that I can have a bob each way^* on Kubuntu upgrades (that is, so that I can do the version upgrade but keep the old version running, and drop the upgraded install easily if it has problems).

* British English, or maybe just Australian and New Zealand English, idiom for betting on several outcomes.

[jglen490]

Well, ask 100 people their opinion on a subject and you're likely to get 100 or 101 different answers.

I'm one of those who wants a stable computing environment, and doesn't care about the "latest and greatest" any thing. When it's time to get a new LTS, I'm happy with the newer software that comes along with it. I'm just not concerned with hopping on new versions every 6 months. I'm on 18.04.3 LTS with a version 5 kernel, and it's fine with me. When 20.04 comes along (actually 20.04.1) I'll be all over it with a fresh install!

But, it's entirely your choice - it's Linux, and you'll be happy regardless.

I'm also a big fan of not dual booting, especially if you have platforms suitable for each OS, so I think a Kubuntu on one PC and Windows on another is a perfectly fine solution.