I've been using Lubuntu for about four months now. It's been working great! It's a Microsoft free household here. Just a couple little snags to figure out but once you do, it's a done deal. For instance I got my wireless printer and scanner drivers working (Brother HL2280DW). On the Brother website they have the drivers and directions how to install. And now I can use the simple printer and scanner utilities of Lubuntu!

When I installed Lubuntu, I instinctively downloaded the latest version, 20.10. But later noticed that this version won't be supported past July 2021. Does that mean when I use the update all GUI utility, nothing will happen? Or just my programs will update and not the Linux OS itself.

I guess the 20.04.2 LTS is the one I want, it's good until April 2023. It's odd that a newer version (20.10) wouldn't be supported as long.

I guess I could learn how to change out the Linux core to 20.04. But honestly, it's such a lightweight easy to install OS, that I'd just do a fresh install. Heck they include most of the programs I need anyway.

I would second going with an LTS.

Another alternative might be to move to a distro with a longer version life span, such as Debian, but, it you really like Ubuntu, yeah, LTS.

This article explains the Ubuntu release cycle. https://ubuntu.com/about/release-cycle

When I first used Ubuntu (2008), there was no such thing as an LTS. I think adding the LTS concept was a positive step, because many users, me included, prefer not to do version updates every six months.

To add to frankbell's answer: the non-LTS releases of Ubuntu (and deriavtives) will (by default, assuming there's an Internet connection) ask to automatically upgrade upon the release of the next version, so your 20.10 should have offered an update to 21.04, which in turn would offer an update to 21.10, and so on. In my experience they end to 'get stuck' once an LTS release occurs (e.g. so at 22.04) unless you manually set an update to the next non-LTS version. So neither route will leave you unsupported, just the non-LTS will take more frequent upgrades/updates to the kernel and other system libraries (on a ~9 month cycle vs a ~2 year cycle). LTS is probably easier for a typical desktop install because it means less frequent updates, but sometimes you need a driver or something that isn't in the current LTS release, but the more recent non-LTS release may have it.

Ubuntu has been doing that for many years, meaning the April releases in even years (20.04) have longer support) than the October releases such as 20.10. That info should be on the Lubuntu site. Ubuntu and some of the major derivatives (Mint, Kubuntu, etc.) have 5 year support while Lubuntu and some other have 3 year support. THis is a decision made by he various developers of the OS.

When considering this answer, please bear in mind that I am not a ubuntu user. So my answer should be in the city, if it is not in the ball park.

So as I understand it, if the release you're using isn't supported after July this year it will not be getting any updates nor security patches. Therefore when you attempt to update your system nothing will happen.

Neither the programs or the OS will update.

How you upgrade the distro to one that is currently supported should have a page in the distro's wiki.

What you want is entirely an individual's/root's choice. And I'm not going to start down the road of suggesting other distro's.

I'd argue that if you know how to install a distro you already know how to change your operating system.

System downgrades are not supported. Neither by Ubuntu nor by Debian. That said, see https://wiki.debian.org/SystemDowngrade

I tried the "Apply Full Upgrade" utility, and it was done in a couple of seconds. I don't think it did anything. Usually it takes a few minutes to unpack and install updates. This was the output:

download-fetching Structure of us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy
0/0 gpgv
download-idle Structure of security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-security
0/0 gpgv
download-idle Structure of us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-updates
0/0 gpgv
download-idle Structure of us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-backports
0/0 gpgv
download-done Structure of us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy
0/0 gpgv
download-done Structure of security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-security
0/0 gpgv
download-done Structure of us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-updates
0/0 gpgv
download-done Structure of us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu groovy-backports
0/0 gpgv

I'll probably install 20.04.2 LTS real soon. I did read the Ubuntu document about their releases. They said 95% of Ubuntu installs are LTS.

As others have said, you've run the 9 months of support so there's nothing more offered - its basically 'frozen' at whatever version(s) of applications/libraries/etc from the last release. However, you should be able to do an in situ upgrade to 21.04 (and then 21.10 in a few months) - this guide may be of some help: https://www.howtogeek.com/351360/how...ion-of-ubuntu/ (you will probably need to use the 'terminal method' options unless the GUI application also exists in LXDE - I've never used Lubuntu so I don't know how closely it mirrors, but I know there are some minor differences between Xubuntu and Ubuntu in terms of GUI applications).

Installing 20.04 LTS in place of 20.10 would also work, of course.

I remember from my own time with Ubuntu - back in the days of Precise & Trusty (12.04/14.04) - that it was a relatively small percentage of the "faithful" who religiously upgraded, every 6 months, literally the very instant the next "9-month wonder" hit the shelves.

The LTS releases make far more sense for most people, unless you absolutely MUST have the very newest, bleeding-edge version of some particular piece of software. If that's the case, one of the "rolling" release distros would make more sense for you.

Mike.

Not being a fanboi, but Linux Mint 20.2 is based on Ubuntu, and it's LTS is supported through 4/2025. It's also a solid desktop, IMO.

I've been reading all the comments, thanks. I went ahead and installed Lubuntu 20.04 LTS on this machine (that I'm posting this from). LibraOffice Writer wasn't printing to PDF, I got a blank pdf page. Luckily I found an easy fix. I had to modify an entry in the LXQT session settings. SAL_US_VCLPLUGIN=kf5, now it prints to PDF fine.

I did have a couple of computer freezes, where my keyboard wasn't responding, so I couldn't even bring up the terminal. I had to do a cold reboot. It seems to be running fine now. The first few bootups took a while, now it boots up fast. Maybe everything had to configure.

I already know how to setup my printer and scanner drivers, and vpn client. Now I can get on with my day to day affairs, my computer is simply a tool for that. Most everything I do on here is web based, even my online guitar lessons.

Matt

On the keyboard - I've seen that happen with some USB keyboards that are more complex (e.g. its actually a USB hub and has a keyboard attached to it, along with whatever other features (like more USB ports, USB audio, whatever)). In my experience its usually 'fixed' by (if possible) replacing the USB cable, or making sure the device is attached to a full power USB port (e.g.not itself running on a passive hub or extension).

Now that you mentioned it, it's a Microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse. It came as a set with the tiny little USB receiver.

It froze up again a few minutes ago. It was a webpage with an embedded street map, I tried to move the map around, zoom in...freeze. Who knows what causes it, maybe my video card. It's not worth the hassle to figure it out either. It's just easier to do a hard reboot. At least Lubuntu boots up fast.

Matt

Maybe obvious but: check the batteries?

I have seen similar issues with wireless MS keyboards. I have never have a problem with any wireless Logitech keyboard & mouse I have used though, on any system. (except when the battery is dying)