[DC LoCo] Ubuntu LTS: what is difference between support for server and desktop?

[Greg Reagle]

On 10/21/2011 04:12 PM, Dan Chen wrote:
>
> On Oct 21, 2011 4:05 PM, "Greg Reagle" <reagle at cepr.net
> <mailto:reagle at cepr.net>> wrote:
>>
>> So, it's really not about: is my computer supported? or is my
>> operating system supported?  It is about: which packages are
>> supported?  For example, I can expect that sshd will continue to
>> get attention and security updates because it is considered a
>> server package, but I cannot expect the same for Thunderbird.
>>
>> Is that correct?
>
> All source packages in main (e.g.,  apt-cache madison thunderbird)
> will continue to receive security updates throughout the supported
> lifetime. Thunderbird is in main for some releases of Ubuntu, so it
> will receive updates.
>
>>
>> Regarding, the kernel, it ends with -generic.  I suppose that I
>> should replace the current kernel package "linux-image-generic"
>> with "linux-image-server", in order to receive updates for the
>> kernel.  Is that correct?
>>
>
> Same policy as above regarding the main component - you will receive
> security updates regardless which kernel you're running.
>
> Metta, -Dan
>

If that is true Dan, why are there two different end-of-life dates for Ubuntu 8.04 depending on "server" or "desktop"?

The way that I am interpreting Dan's message and Mackenzie's message is that they are contradicting each other.  Am I missing something?

What I would really like, ideally, is a reference to a statement from Ubuntu (like a web page) that explains why they advertise two different support dates and what that really means specifically.

-- 
Greg Reagle
System Administrator
Center for Economic and Policy Research
reagle at cepr.net
http://www.cepr.net/