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Asked: 2018-08-04 23:47:35 +0800 CST

Migrating from 16.04 to 18.04 : Why is the "For long-term support versions" option not yet activated? [duplicate]

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Edit : Note that it is not yet possible to migrate from 16.04.05 LTS to 18.04.1 LTS. Today is Tuesday, August 7.... The release of 18.04.1 LTS took place on July 26... They must have simply forgotten to enable the "For long-term support versions" option in "Notify me of a new Ubuntu version", in the "Software Updater" options... Someone absolutely must tell them please.

This documentation https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BionicUpgrades indicates, in the part titled "Upgrade from 16.04 or 17.10 to 18.04 > Upgrading Ubuntu Desktops to 18.04 (Recommended)" that in order to migrate from 16.04 (16.04.5 LTS for me) to 18.04 (18.04.1 LTS in fact), we must confirm the "Notify me of a new Ubuntu version:" option is set to "For any new version", and change it if otherwise.

My question is : why not to keep it set at its default value, which is : "For long-term support versions" ? 18.04(.1) is indeed an LTS version ! So this option should also enable the migration.

I have another question: in addition to allowing the change from 16.04(.5) to 18.04(.1), what are/will be the other (potentially bad) consequences of choosing the "For any new version" option, recommended by the above documentation?

Am I making a mistake ?

Important

This migration is really impossible when "For long term support versions" is chosen. It's possible when "For any new version" is chosen.

migration ubuntu-wiki 16.04 18.04

2 Answers

  1. I agree that the option should say "For any new version" OR "For long-term support versions" (and that page now does say that).

    I suspect that a prior page is used as a template, and as 3 of 4 Ubuntu releases are standard (not LTS), it's easier for the delegated release manager to just copy & paste the prior release page making as few changes as possible which is why it I suspect it doesn't say both (it'd be a bad idea if your release was say 18.10 and you selected 'For long-term support versions' as you'd miss the mandatory upgrade to 19.04 when it came out)

    Currently the switch (see Should I be offered the option to upgrade to 18.04.1?) hasn't been enabled for the 16.04 LTS upgrade to 18.04 LTS so yes, you do in fact need the "For any new version" currently, but it is my belief that this will very shortly change.

    As for the page not using LTS for 18.04

    Ubuntu 18.04 is a LTS. Ubuntu first releases on even numbered years (in April, except for 6.06 which was June) are LTS. Again I think that's just copying a prior page, and making the least number of changes possible. The change I made was the least I felt I could, and I don't think adding LTS for every reference makes it easier to read.

    As for 18.04 & 18.04.1: To me there is no difference between a fully updated 18.04 LTS install, and a fully updated 18.04.1 LTS (if you ignore that the .1 will have HWE kernel installed; where the 18.04 does not come with HWE kernel enabled/installed).

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  2. Note that it is not yet possible to migrate from 16.04.05 LTS to 18.04.1 LTS. Today is Tuesday, August 7.... The release of 18.04.1 LTS took place on July 26... They must have simply forgotten to enable the "For long-term support versions" option in "Notify me of a new Ubuntu version", in the "Software Updater" options... Someone absolutely must tell them please.

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