Trying to understand the function/purpose/effectiveness of LTS

[Robert Heller]

At Mon, 27 Apr 2020 00:28:12 +0100 "Ubuntu user technical support,  not for general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:

> 
> On 27/04/2020 00:00, Robert Heller wrote:
> > At Sun, 26 Apr 2020 21:18:09 +0100 "Ubuntu user technical support,  not for general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Good evening everyone, hope you all are well.
> >>
> Thanks Ralf and Robert for your response, very much appreciated.
> 
> While I do understand and appreciate that versions/apis of the 
> programmes are kept the same for whatever reason, I am not comfortable 
> with the idea that I am now left with a system where I cannot have the 
> required TLS versions, or the desired ciphers and algorithms. From a 
> security point of view, that is neither desired nor acceptable.
> 
> As I see it, if LTS versions are supposed to be "supported for 5 years" 
> -- they should be supported with at least the security updated/upgrades 
> in place. I am not asking for the bells and whistles -- but the 
> fundamental issues should be addressed. If I am left with a system where 
> I cannot have the highest possible security to defend any possible 
> mitigating circumstance -- what is the point in having that system at 
> all (unless, of course, it is a closed loop system not interacting with 
> the rest of the internet at all)!!!

The LTS versions do get security updates.  Note: *some* software packages do 
get updated to new upstream versions.  There are specific cases where this is 
done.  For example Firefox get updated to new ESR versions under CentOS, when 
that is needful.  Since Firefox is an end-application (it is not a library 
where an upgrade will "break" other critical software), this is acceptable.

> 
> However, I do appreciate that different distributions in Linux world 
> works in different way. If Ubuntu LTS is designed to be like this -- so 
> be it. I do not wish to have to choose between security and stability -- 
> but then again, that is me.
> 
> Thank you both for your explanation and insight on this matter. It does 
> seem that I misunderstood what "supported" actually means when it comes 
> to Ubuntu LTS. Thank you for helping me understand. Very much appreciated.
> 
> Kind regards.
> 
> 

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