Farewell, LXDE. It was good to know you.
/me pours one out for his homie
3 Likes
Cheers to you mate. Incredible how far things have come along.
2 Likes
Please note:
If your architecture is i686 or x86 (32-bit) (what Debian & Ubuntu both refer to as i386) then Lubuntu 18.04 LTS was the end-of-road for Lubuntu.
Later Releases (18.10 & 19.04)
Yes we released Lubuntu 18.10 with the modern LXQt desktop. Lubuntu even produced alpha ISOs into the disco (19.04) cycle, which if installed, package updates were provided until 19.04 reached EOL (though Lubuntu never officially supported disco/19.04 in i386), however both 18.10 & 19.04 reached EOL long ago meaning Lubuntu 18.04 LTS was the last i386 system supported.
Can I continue using it ?
Yes you could, I’d suggest fully exploring your support status using ubuntu-support-status. Packages found in the ‘main’ repository will still get security updates, where you’ll note firefox still get security updates 
even if your desktop & many apps are now unsupported.
The risk is your decision, however if you have questions (understanding ubuntu-support-status or other), you can ask and I’ll give my thoughts/opinion in most cases.
What are my alternatives ?
There are a few; myself I also test (and love) Debian so it’s all I’ll suggest. I tested Debian 10/Buster on my i386 hardware, and performance was on most boxes very similar (on my lowest powered box Lubuntu 18.04 well outperformed Xubuntu or Debian 10/Buster but on most hardware the performance difference was very small).
Debian 10/Buster has more of it’s life left than Lubuntu 18.04 LTS so it would be my main alternative if you’re forced to use a i386 box.
(I still use i386 boxes; but almost all my online tasks are performed on much more modern amd64 hardware)
5 Likes
You know there is a thing called Extended Security Maintenance (ESM).
And it is until 2028!
I am using 1804 and I still receive all security updates and the kernel updates
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.
4 Likes
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
6 Likes
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.
2 Likes
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’ll provide
but in the end what’s right for you, only you can decide.
3 Likes
Thanks for your response. I will look at xubuntu
Mike Gallagher
That_Random_Guy
May 17 |
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
That_Random_Guy
May 17 |
1 Like
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.
You are comparing apples with oranges.
3 Likes
Unsupported:
abiword abiword-common audacious audacious-plugins
audacious-plugins-data blueman chromium-codecs-ffmpeg-extra exo-utils
fcitx fcitx-bin fcitx-config-common fcitx-config-gtk2 fcitx-data
fcitx-frontend-gtk2 fcitx-module-dbus fcitx-module-x11 fcitx-modules
fcitx-ui-classic ffmpegthumbnailer galculator gdebi gdebi-core
giblib1 gnome-icon-theme gnome-mpv gnome-system-tools gnumeric
gnumeric-common gpicview gstreamer1.0-fluendo-mp3 gstreamer1.0-libav
gstreamer1.0-nice gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly
gstreamer1.0-vaapi gtk2-engines gtklp gucharmap guvcview hardinfo
indicator-application indicator-application-gtk2 indicator-common
indicator-sound indicator-sound-gtk2 leafpad liba52-0.7.4
libabiword-3.0 libappindicator1 libass9 libaudcore5 libaudgui5
libaudtag3 libavcodec57 libavdevice57 libavfilter6 libavformat57
libavresample3 libavutil55 libbluray2 libbrotli1 libbs2b0 libburn4
libcddb2 libchamplain-0.12-0 libchamplain-gtk-0.12-0 libchromaprint1
libcompfaceg1 libcrystalhd3 libcue1 libdc1394-22 libdca0 libde265-0
libdvdnav4 libdvdread4 libept1.5.0 libexo-1-0 libexo-2-0
libexo-common libexo-helpers libfaad2 libfarstream-0.2-5
libfcitx-config4 libfcitx-core0 libfcitx-gclient1 libfcitx-utils0
libffmpegthumbnailer4v5 libflite1 libfluidsynth1 libfm-data
libfm-extra4 libfm-gtk-data libfm-gtk4 libfm-modules libfm4 libgadu3
libgarcon-1-0 libgarcon-common libgme0 libgoffice-0.10-10
libgoffice-0.10-10-common libgsf-1-114 libgsf-1-common libgsl23
libgslcblas0 libgsm1 libgssdp-1.0-3 libgstreamer-plugins-bad1.0-0
libgtk2-perl libgtkspell0 libgucharmap-2-90-7 libgupnp-1.0-4
libgupnp-igd-1.0-4 libguvcview-2.0-2 libid3tag0 libido-0.1-0
libimlib2 libindicator7 libisofs6 libkate1 libkeybinder0
liblightdm-gobject-1-0 liblilv-0-0 libloudmouth1-0 libmeanwhile1
libmenu-cache-bin libmenu-cache3 libmjpegutils-2.1-0 libmms0
libmodplug1 libmpcdec6 libmpeg2-4 libmpeg2encpp-2.1-0 libmplex2-2.1-0
libmpv1 libmysofa0 libnice10 libnorm1 libobrender32v5 libobt2v5
libofa0 liboobs-1-5 libopenal-data libopenal1 libopencore-amrnb0
libopencore-amrwb0 libopenjp2-7 libopenmpt0 libots0 libpango-perl
libpgm-5.2-0 libpisock9 libportaudio2 libpostproc54 libpresage-data
libpresage1v5 libprotobuf-c1 libpurple0 librubberband2 libsdl2-2.0-0
libserd-0-0 libshine3 libsidplay1v5 libsidplayfp4 libsndio6.1
libsord-0-0 libsoundtouch1 libsoxr0 libspandsp2 libsratom-0-0
libsrtp2-1 libswresample2 libswscale4 libtelepathy-glib0
libthunarx-2-0 libtinyxml2.6.2v5 libtumbler-1-0 libuchardet0
libuniconf4.6 libunique-1.0-0 liburl-dispatcher1 libva-drm2
libva-wayland2 libva-x11-2 libva2 libvo-aacenc0 libvo-amrwbenc0
libvulkan1 libwildmidi-config libwildmidi2 libwnck-common libwnck22
libwoff1 libwv-1.2-4 libwvstreams4.6-base libwvstreams4.6-extras
libx264-152 libx265-146 libxfce4panel-2.0-4 libxfce4ui-1-0
libxfce4ui-2-0 libxfce4ui-common libxfce4util-common libxfce4util7
libxfconf-0-2 libxvidcore4 libzbar0 libzephyr4 libzmq5 libzvbi-common
libzvbi0 light-locker lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter
lightdm-gtk-greeter-settings lubuntu-artwork lubuntu-artwork-18-04
lubuntu-default-session lubuntu-default-settings lubuntu-desktop
lubuntu-gtk-core lubuntu-gtk-desktop lubuntu-icon-theme
lubuntu-lxpanel-icons lxappearance lxappearance-obconf lxhotkey-core
lxhotkey-gtk lxhotkey-plugin-openbox lxinput lxlauncher lxlock
lxmenu-data lxpanel lxpanel-data lxpanel-indicator-applet-plugin
lxpolkit lxrandr lxsession lxsession-data lxsession-default-apps
lxsession-logout lxshortcut lxtask lxterminal mtpaint neofetch obconf
openbox pavucontrol pcmanfm pidgin pidgin-data pinentry-gtk2
plymouth-theme-lubuntu-logo plymouth-theme-lubuntu-text pxlib1 scrot
sylpheed sylpheed-doc sylpheed-i18n sylpheed-plugins synaptic
system-tools-backends thunar thunar-data thunar-volman
ttf-ubuntu-font-family tumbler tumbler-common
ubuntu-restricted-addons wvdial xfburn xfce4-notifyd xfce4-panel
xfce4-power-manager xfce4-power-manager-data
xfce4-power-manager-plugins xfconf xpad
xserver-xorg-input-synaptics-hwe-18.04
Check out yourself, I already did it on fresh Lubuntu 18.04.5 install
and I am comparing two desktop environments. funny to hear from Lubuntu member such a joke
It is not a joke.
LXDE is based on GTK2 and LXQt is based on Qt5. Two completely different frameworks.
LXDE is a stale project since years. LXQt is quite an active project and receives new functions and improvements.
The last official version of LXDE is in 18.04, whereas the first version of LXQt is in version 18.10.
I see enough differences to state, that you are comparing apples with oranges.
1 Like
I am saying again I am comparing two DEs. And one of the most important aspects to look at in its sys requirenments, speed, and customization
Yeah but such big distros like Debian and openSUSE don’t hesitate to support it, huh?