Ubuntu 18.04 LTS may now offer 10 years of support

[elelme]

It's just been reported in several places (including Distrowatch) that Ubuntu 18.04 LTS may now offer 10 years of support. What does this mean for the 4x series of Linux Lite, or, for that matter, Linux Mint 19, and quite a few others based upon this version of Ubuntu? Sorry if I am out of place to ask this here.
--Later---
According to a forum, the consensus is that it won't mean anything, really, after all...Just for home servers, possibly, or for paid long-term support. SO I guess this was a bit misleading.  MY APOLOGIES.

[torreydale]

I don't think it means nothing.  There's a good chance that they will continue their release cycle and even Ubuntu 18.04 based desktops will continue to receive security updates for the 10 year period. 

In the case of Linux Lite for example, development on the 3.x series (with the Ubuntu 16.04 base) is currently over.  But users will continue to get security updates until April 2021, which is based on 5 years of long term support.  With the same logic, current Linux Lite 4.x users could get security updates until 2028, even if Linux Lite development ceases in 2020 to focus on the the 5.x series based on Ubuntu 20.04.

That's my educated guess.  But I wouldn't want to only get security updates for 8 more years.  I want updated apps, too.  So I'll be upgrading well before 10 years.

[elelme]

Thank you, Torreydale, for this clarity. And thanks for that distinction between security updates and updating apps!

[Valtam]

LTS is for 5 years. It's not uncommon for Canonical to extend that by another 3 -5 years, but you have to pay for that. This predominantly affects servers.

For a more detailed look:

Code:

ubuntu-support-status --show-all

[elelme]

Yes, sir! That command really was enlightening. Thanks.
(So much to learn, so little time!)   

[torreydale]

I was wrong, but I learned a new command from Jerry. 


The news is still good.  Canonical doesn't appear to be going anywhere but up, and the benefits of their continued development should continue to trickle down to the desktop user.