lts - What's the difference between a Long Term Support Release and a Normal Release? - Ask Ubuntu

what differences between ubuntu long term support release (lts) , normal release?

there new release every 6 months (in april , october), version number being year.month (e.g.: 16.04 released in april 2016). every 2 years, april release long term support version.

• all normal releases (13.04 , later) supported 9 months.

• all lts releases (12.04 , later) supported five years on both desktop , server.
  _{older versions had different support cycles, haven't been included they're unsupported now. see ubuntu wiki historical information.}

now, support means:

• updates potential security problems , bugs (not new versions of software)

• availability of commercial support contracts canonical

• support landscape, canonical's enterprise oriented server management tool set

the desktop refers packages in main , restricted repositories, these ones have little ubuntu icon next them in synaptic or marked supported in software-centre respectively.

the server packages ones in "server-ship" , "supported-common" seeds (there's directory of of different seeds available).

this looks like:

_{image ubuntu.com}

the primary reason using lts release can depend on it being updated regularly , therefore secure , stable.

as if wasn't enough, ubuntu releases additional versions of last lts between releases—such 14.04.1, incorporate of updates point. called point-release (or snapshot). released every quarter half year, needed.

in addition support, there development strategies differentiate lts release:

• the base of operating system, debian, comes in 3 versions: stable, testing , unstable. normally, ubuntu based on unstable; lts releases based on testing. starting 14.04 lts, new releases based on debian unstable.

• the development effort lts release in focused on providing rock solid base, not customers want lts release, next 3 ubuntu versions come.

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thanks oli demystifying last part, wasn't quite sure it.