Re:The Bugs In Ubuntu 10.04
by ZeroGravitas on Sunday May 02, 2010 @03:15AM
(#1312124)
I keep seeing this idea that Linux upgrades shouldn't break old functionality, particularly in Long Term Support releases. That's two separate fallacies interacting.
1. A Linux upgrade is not like someone redecorating a few rooms, or adding a new wing to your house. It's more like that extreme makeover show where they bulldoze the entire house and rebuild it from scratch. In exchange for fixing your foundations, replacing lead pipes, and fitting a high efficiency heating system you have to put up with the fact that hat rack no longer accommodates your ten gallon hat and that handy light-switch in the bathroom has been moved outside because it is no longer up to code.
If you don't want to take this tradeoff then you have the option to not upgrade, certainly not on the day of release.
2. A Long Term Support release of Ubuntu is supported for 3 years on the desktop (5 on server). This means it needs to balance stability with the fact that it's not going to be changed for several years. This means doing things like putting a newer version of Firefox as going with the 2.0 line would have been soon out of date.
Combining these and expecting a LTS to be more likely to support old hardware flawlessly is the wrong conclusion. People seem to understand that the introduction of Vista or Mac OS X Snow Leopard will obsolete certain lines of older hardware. Don't hold Linux to a higher standard because they actually make a effort to support old hardware with the new code.
1. A Linux upgrade is not like someone redecorating a few rooms, or adding a new wing to your house. It's more like that extreme makeover show where they bulldoze the entire house and rebuild it from scratch. In exchange for fixing your foundations, replacing lead pipes, and fitting a high efficiency heating system you have to put up with the fact that hat rack no longer accommodates your ten gallon hat and that handy light-switch in the bathroom has been moved outside because it is no longer up to code.
If you don't want to take this tradeoff then you have the option to not upgrade, certainly not on the day of release.
2. A Long Term Support release of Ubuntu is supported for 3 years on the desktop (5 on server). This means it needs to balance stability with the fact that it's not going to be changed for several years. This means doing things like putting a newer version of Firefox as going with the 2.0 line would have been soon out of date.
Combining these and expecting a LTS to be more likely to support old hardware flawlessly is the wrong conclusion. People seem to understand that the introduction of Vista or Mac OS X Snow Leopard will obsolete certain lines of older hardware. Don't hold Linux to a higher standard because they actually make a effort to support old hardware with the new code.