[sf-lug] Ubuntu 18.04 to have 10 (or 5) yr support span

[Rick Moen]

Quoting aaronco36 (aaronco36 at SDF.ORG):

> Good filling-in of that background.

Yr. welcome, good sir!

> I'm also a bit concerned about some of the more popular
> *non*-Canonical Ubuntu-based distros, such as Linux Mint[3],
> ElementaryOS[4], ZorinOS[5], and LinuxLiteOS[6].
> 
> Do Rick M, Michael P and any others of you know of easy ways that
> Canonical might very well pull the plug on the Ubuntu community's
> support for the repositories, software, ...etc they share between
> these Ubuntu-based distros once (or even before) that five-year
> support ends?? E.g., putting up some sort of "paywall" or raising
> patent covenants between Canonical Inc and these distros' use of the
> Universe and Multiverse repos as listed in [7] ??

{shrug}  

As to the length of support for releases, I don't think those matter to
Linux Mint, elementary OS, Zorin OS, KDE neon, Linux Lite, Lubuntu,
Peppermint OS, Bodhi Linux, Xubuntu, Pop! OS, Nitrux, Kubuntu, Voyager
Live, Feren OS, Ultimate Edition, Robolinux, LXLE, Pinguy OS, Ubuntu
Budgie,  Linux Kodachi, Emmabuntüs, ExTiX, BackBox Linux, Trisquel
GNU/Linux, Runtu, UBports, OSGeoLive, Greenie Linux, MakuluLinux, CAINE,
Peach OS!, Black Lab Linux, Linuxfx, Linspire, Enso OS, SharkLinux,
Pearl Linux OS, APODIO, SuperGamer, KXStudio, BeeFree OS, DEFT Linux,
Freespire, Bio-Linux, CAELinux, LuninuX OS, LliureX, Vinux, MAX:
Madrid_Linux, UTUTO, Karoshi, NexentaStor, Ulteo Open Virtual Desktop, 
tuxtrans, and Nova care very much, having either reasonable release 
schedules or being rolling distributions.

As to monetising maintenance updates, that's not likely given the firm's
existing model, and also the firm doesn't provide a whole lot that's 
not from upstream anyway (except for some in-house projects).  Not to
mention that any such move would immediately motivate community
equivalent services, as with CentOS yum vs. RHEL RHN.  (I don't know if
RHEL still relies on RHN.  It did years back when I last checked.)

Patent trolling?  This presupposes significant patents.  I'll believe
that when I see it.

Pushy tiny little firms with loud and annoying but grossly underfunded
marketing and small armies of delusional communtity people working for
their proprietary advantage for free, that are incorporated in tax
havens _specifically_ because they have almost no financial resources,
and whose projects keep dying because competent maintainers go elsewhere
to better firms for more money (see Upstart) don't tend to manage to be
patent trolls.  Out of their league.

Walking in front of a parade with wearing a sparkly outfit waving a
baton doesn't suffice to make you a bandleader.  ;->


> I've myself installed and recommended over the last half-dozen years
> or so Linux Mint[3] for absolute n00Bs as well as for those who want
> a very solid alternative to other distros and to MS-Windows 7,8,10.

Also, give a good shot to Bodhi Linux, some time.  You might like.
Distrowatch capsule description:

  Bodhi Linux is an elegant and lightweight Ubuntu-based distribution
  featuring Moksha, an Enlightenment-17-based desktop environment. The
  project takes a decidedly minimalist approach by offering modularity,
  high levels of customisation, and choice of themes. In addition to basic
  32- and 64-bit systems, Bodhi maintains designated ISO images for
  Chromebooks and legacy machines. By default Bodhi has only five
  pre-installed applications: Midori, Terminology, PCManFM, ePhoto, and
  ePad. Additional software is available via AppCenter, a web-based
  software installation tool.

So, don't look at the default (minimal) desktop and give up saying
'This is terrible because there are too few applications' (as more than
one person to whom I've mentioned it has done).  There are better ways
to have access to wanted applications than throwing the kitchen sink at
the user.