Yes, we all know that ESM exists. The problem is that parts of the system will no longer get updates. The Ubuntu bits will happily keep updating as long as ESM lasts. The Lubuntu-specific bits will not.
So, not only will there be no community support, you’re playing a game of “I hope there are no security vulnerabilities in the Lubuntu bits.” You can take that chance, but I’d suggest upgrading if you can upgrade. If you’ve got a 32 bit system only, then it becomes marginally more logical to risk it.
Personally, I’d just move to a different distro if I only had 32 bit hardware.
In my warning post I tried to get users of 18.04 to use ubuntu-support-status to view their package status, which would have shown them only packages from the ‘main’ repository get 5 years of supported life, and its only these that get ESM support (and going by historical precedent of precise or trusty, it may not even be all of these the full term, or coverage may only be via HWE, however you will be given warning). ESM also only covers
“the Ubuntu base OS and scale-out infrastructure”
With both the Canonical 3 year support & Community 3 year support packages now EOL for my 18.04 example box , the ubuntu-support-status example is now a lot simpler to read
guiverc@t43-lubu:~$ ubuntu-support-status
Support status summary of 't43-lubu':
You have 1332 packages (70.8%) supported until April 2023 (Canonical - 5y)
You have 0 packages (0.0%) that can not/no-longer be downloaded
You have 549 packages (29.2%) that are unsupported
Run with --show-unsupported, --show-supported or --show-all to see more details
guiverc@t43-lubu:~$
If you contrast the 29.2% now unsupported with what it was before Lubuntu 18.04 LTS reached EOL (10.9%) for my box, you’ll note it’s grown significantly. You aren’t receiving all security updates, only those relating to supported packages.
Addendum: I just noticed my pre-EOL example was a different box so my comparison isn’t perfect… Whilst I can re-do the t43; I can’t re-do the 755 as it’s now running Lubuntu 20.04 LTS
Just saying that I am disappointed in 20.04. Getting to look more like (ugh) Win 10. Been with Lubuntu for some years but once it start showing its age I will be jumping ship. Wish someone would tell me where to go to find something to replace it (simple, clean) but don’t know where else to ask any more.
I mean if you’re simply after another desktop/distro, there is a plethora to choose from—some of which are basically sister projects to Lubuntu. I disagree with Lubuntu becoming like Windows… anyway, I’m not here to argue.
You can also just remove whatever apps you don’t want or use… it’s usually not that difficult. Just gotta open up either Discover or Muon and ta-da. I prefer terminal but there’s an option for everyone.
If you’re deadset on changing though, you can maybe switch to Debian which I would argue is maybe cleaner than Ubuntu but don’t quote me on that. However, some might say it’s not as simple—in which case I would suggest to just try another Ubuntu flavor—maybe one that tries to be lightweight, like Xubuntu.
Anyway, it’s your choice. You can always choose what you feel is best for you and that is the benefit of Linux, unlike Windows which forces you into things.
Don’t forget you can customize it to make it your own.
I added a panel on the left side of one monitor (right side of the other) so I have a Unity (7) style quick launcher on the side of my monitor (pic in screenshot thread of how it looked like July-2019 which shows 2 of my 4 panels only; others show only when mouse is over them), still using the same system now only it’s now impish.
If you don’t like the themes, icon sets, you can download more…
But don’t forget an aim of LXQt is being light, so many decisions are made with that in mind.
Also if you upgraded from 18.04 to 20.04 without re-install, you weren’t seeing an optimum desktop (unless you fixed the LXDE left-over bits yourself).
I kind of like that xubuntu after a quick look. I think you are right, the idea is to find something you can tailor to get more or less what you want. And I’ve worked with linux over the years to know that you do have to be a “mechanic” sometimes. So thanks agaian -
Mike Gallagher
I got the list of those ‘unsopported’ packages and picked randomly 8 of them with name not related to some app or theme, even though there a lot of packages there which are apps, plugins or codecs. For example, literally, abiword abiword-common audacious audacious-plugins audacious-plugins-data blueman … gnome-mpv gdebi gdebi-core… and on and on. That would be a big bite from those 20%!
Coming to those 8 random packages which are not related to applications or plugins or codecs, NONE of those 8 where anyhow related to security!
So that is another big bite from 20%…
Personally I am now convinced that you are lying to users of lxde lubuntu in order to faster get rid of and forget it.
Otherwise I don’t understand how you could tell that security on 18.04 is not supported. A big amount of 20% are packages related to either Lubuntu itself like icons, themes, or apps and whole bunch of related staff, which is old.
But you can get rid of unsupported apps and use modern apps and everything will be fine. Or you can stay with old ones if they work fine, which is my case.
Finally I would suggest you, do not recommend people to leave 18.04, let them enjoy last years of 18.04 usage. LXDE is lighter and faster than LXQt.
I fear, you do not have a good understanding of security.
The team of Lubuntu is not lying to the LXDE users. The support for Lubuntu-specific packages in the repositories of 18.04 ended. That is a fact. The same is true for Kubuntu, Xubuntu and other community-driven distributions.
Yes, that is true. You don’t understand, how it works. The packages do not appear magically.
Every new version of a package gets packaged first, reviewed, and then uploaded to the repository. The team of Lubuntu was doing this work and has clearly communicated, that the team is doing it during 3 years for the 18.04 release. And by the way, you did not receive many packages in the 3 years of support, because the upstream developers (LXDE project) did not fix any important bugs.
After the 3 years of support, there is no one from the team, which will do the work for LXDE related packages.
No, Lubuntu is a stable release. Lubuntu is not replacing apps during the lifecycle of a release. And users of stable releases do not expect this neither.
Finally I would suggest you, that you inform yourself about the topic and also about security.
And the users could enjoy the last year of 18.04 between april 2020 and april 2021.
Yes, I see it. But you are looking at Ubuntu, which is not Lubuntu. Lubuntu is based on Ubuntu, but uses a different desktop environment. All the needed packages for the desktop environment are unsupported now.
The packages of the “desktop Ubuntu” are in the main repository and are maintained during 5 years.
The packages of Lubuntu are in the universe repository and are supported 3 years, because the Lubuntu team is small.
ok, you now going off-topic. Here the point was about unsupported security packages, which are same as in UBUNTU.
LUBUNTU team doesn’t make up it’s own security packages, is it?