upgrades on ubuntu 12.04 LTS

[syednasirraza]

hi all
i installed ubuntu 12.04 LTS on my laptop alomost 8 months ago...now everytime i connect to internet,,update manager shows hundreds of updates to be installed....should i install these updates??(if somebody can brief me shortly on these updates,,are these necesssary, am i missing something because of them)...or should i install some newer version of ubuntu???i gues 13.10 is available now,,,should i go for that??/or should i stick to same(with or without updates)??? plz guide

[ibjsb4]

How can someone brief you on updates that you have not posted?

Do you think Update Manager is broken? My guess would be that you are updating from 12.04.02 to 12.04.03

I would say just go with it, update-manager is your friend

[Impavidus]

If you never updated since installing (maybe never connected to the internet) there will be hundreds of updates waiting. Install at least the security updates, the others are less important. If you have a slow or expensive connection you can leave them (the less important ones) for a while.

[Bucky Ball]

Yes! Update. You should have been doing regular updates all along, that is why you now have a heap. You haven't noticed the icon saying 'You have updates' before now?

12.04 LTS is supported until April 2017. I would advise sticking with that by the sounds of it.

[newb85]

I would definitely keep up on updates (especially security updates). I would not upgrade, unless you feel you must have the latest in features. Going from 12.04 to 13.10 is a three-release jump, so if you're going to upgrade, your probably best with a reinstall.

[grahammechanical]

Ubuntu 12.04 was released in April 2012 and is a Long Term Support (LTS) release. Which means that we get updates/security fixes for 5 years from the date of release. We can set Ubuntu to check for updates every day, every 2 days, weekly, every fortnight or never.

Next year, sometime in April, Ubuntu 14.04 will be released. It will also be an LTS release. You can upgrade from 12.04 direct to 14.04. We can set Ubuntu to notify us of the next LTS release (that is the default setting for 12.04) or to notify us of the next release. Not only will we get notification of a release but also a one click button to run the upgrade.

Stick to 12.04 until 14.04 is released and then make a decision on whether to upgrade to 14.04 or fresh install 14.04 over 12.04.

Ubuntu 13.10 only has 9 months support for updates and security fixes. So, unless you want to be the kind of person who upgrades every six months, like me, then stick with 12.04 until 14.04 is released and run those updates in the mean time.

Regards.

[NM5TF]

+100 Grahammechanical

perfect answer !!!

[syednasirraza]

Ubuntu 12.04 was released in April 2012 and is a Long Term Support (LTS) release. Which means that we get updates/security fixes for 5 years from the date of release. We can set Ubuntu to check for updates every day, every 2 days, weekly, every fortnight or never.

Next year, sometime in April, Ubuntu 14.04 will be released. It will also be an LTS release. You can upgrade from 12.04 direct to 14.04. We can set Ubuntu to notify us of the next LTS release (that is the default setting for 12.04) or to notify us of the next release. Not only will we get notification of a release but also a one click button to run the upgrade.

Stick to 12.04 until 14.04 is released and then make a decision on whether to upgrade to 14.04 or fresh install 14.04 over 12.04.

Ubuntu 13.10 only has 9 months support for updates and security fixes. So, unless you want to be the kind of person who upgrades every six months, like me, then stick with 12.04 until 14.04 is released and run those updates in the mean time.

Regards.

THANKS GRAHAM (n ALL OTHER TOO) for ur valuable reply...i really had never installed updates despite notification everytime,,as it would take time,,n still with hundreds of updates it will take quite long to update all,,,n its difficult for me to know what r security updates among all,,,so AS PER SUGGESTION OF GRAHAM,,i think i should stick to this LTS and wait for next 14.04 LTS for my next one and only upgrade.........

[syednasirraza]

and GRAHAM,,bye the way i dont know how to recomed your reply a recomended solution type thing for this query of mine,,,or how to say u thanks in other words,,like may be beans is something related to it..but frankly dont know how to give it or what to do...if u/someone can tell me wt r beans and how to give to someone???(i gues my query is a silly one,,but i m new to forum infact,,just know simple things like how to ask query by posting new thread etc )

[cmcanulty]

Since 12.04 is 5 year support can we keep it to 17.04 and directly upgrade or do we have to do the 14.04 first?