Advantage of LTS version(s)?

[Moozillaaa]

... as opposed to non-LTS versions?

Is Hardy the only current LTS? Is more than one version supported as long-term at the same time?

What do you run? What determines YOUR choice?

[julianb]

Ubuntu 8.04 has been around for a long time so that means its programs are missing a quite a few features that are probably useful to you.

I would recommend against the LTS version of linux for desktop (non-server) computing at the moment. Support for the current LTS version (8.04) will be ended in April 2011, which is the same time support ends for the new release (Ubuntu 9.10).

It's helpful to use versions that are officially supported because they have fixes applied (software updates) whenever security problems are found.

Besides support time-frame, the difference between LTS versions and non-LTS versions is mainly that LTS versions are more likely to have old/tested/reliable software; non-LTS versions contain software with new features, some of which cause new problems.

Ubuntu 9.10 has been around long enough that I wouldn't worry too much about software bugs.

Ubuntu 10.04 (LTS) is likely to be very reliable, and also will not contain very many features worth getting excited over; it will be supported until 2013.

[Sef]

Advantage of LTS version(s)?
... as opposed to non-LTS versions?

Is Hardy the only current LTS? Is more than one version supported as long-term at the same time?

What do you run? What determines YOUR choice? LTS versions are supported for 3 years on the desktop and 5 years on the server. NonLTS versions are only supported for 18 months for both the desktop and the server.

For desktops, Hardy is currently the only. LTS. For servers, there is also Dapper Drake.