Tag: Ubuntu 18.04

Extend Ubuntu 18.04 LTS updates?

How do I extend updates for my Ubuntu 18.04 LTS? I don’t want to reinstall a new one.

ANSWER

Yes, Ubuntu LTS versions have a standard support period of only 5 years. The 18.04 will have that on April 2023. Coming very soon.

If you are not yet ready to install a new one, but still get the official updates from Ubuntu, then you can sign up for Ubuntu Pro. Register here – https://ubuntu.com/pro.

How to do that? Follow the guide here – https://ubuntu.com/pro/tutorial.

Once you have signed up and enabled Extended Security Maintenance, or ESM, then you are good for another 5 years of security updates. That will end on April 2028. A long way off, but plenty of time still.

Stress on the word security. It doesn’t mean you will get the newest versions of software installed on your computer for the next several years. That’s different. An alternative is to install the Snap version of a software to get the latest that the package maintainer offers. And if you don’t fancy Ubuntu Snaps, there may be Flatpak or AppImage versions of the same software.

Support for Ubuntu Unity Desktop after 16.04 LTS

Can still use the Unity Desktop after Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus? Is it still supported?

I like the Unity desktop way of things. Been using it many years now. Read about and tried the new Ubuntu that with Gnome Shell, but I don’t like it much at all. It look clunky with many of missing things from it.

Come April 2021 Ubuntu 16.04 will EOL. Starting to find alternatives, but if Unity is still out there, I’d pick it over the others.

ANSWER

In one word, Yes.

Still can run on both LTS versions of 18.04 and 20.04. Go ahead and install it with:

sudo apt install ubuntu-unity-desktop

Choose Lightdm display manager when asked during install. Best to restart your computer afterwards. Then enjoy.

Consider that many people have said some weird looks of Unity when installed on said LTS versions appear. I forget, but I think its the window decorations and such. This is supposedly caused by the newer Gnome versions, and unpatched by Ubuntu. Unlike before.

You may also like to try out an alternative in the Ubuntu Unity Desktop spinoff. Can be found at this website – https://ubuntuunity.org/

It is not official Ubuntu flavor, but being maintained by some other 3rd party group. The experience is different from just installing 20.04 and then install Unity DE afterwards. Try it out if it suits you.