Should upgrading be discouraged?

[SeijiSensei]

Now that 15.04 is out, we're seeing an array of complaints from people who upgraded and encountered problems. Has the time come for the major *bunutu websites to stop pushing current releases and recommend LTS versions instead? I understand the PR value of appearing to be moving forward all the time, but I also think probably 90% or more of the user base should be using LTS releases. I've even seen postings lately of people upgrading production servers from 14.04 to 15.04. Should there be more of an effort to drive most users, especially new users, to the LTS versions and away from interim releases?

[d-cosner]

Actually, the default on the Ubuntu download site is the LTS. Upgrading from one release to the next usually works fine so long as the user has not added a bunch of ppa repos and removed proprietary drivers before doing the upgrade.

[SeijiSensei]

"Usually" isn't "always," of course. People seem to be having problems with basic things like CUPS in 15.04.

And, the current big headline at ubuntu.com encourages users to install Snappy 15.04 . If you look down to the "Get Ubuntu Desktop" link, it also suggests 15.04, though the page it links to recommends 14.04.2 first and 15.04 below it.

[craig10x]

I've done upgrades on upgrades and they have worked fine (14.04...then 14.10 then 15.04) all were 100% perfect...i have found the secret is to uncheck any ppas installed before upgrading...remove proprietary drivers as d-cosner mentioned and just run a "stock ubuntu" with no major modifications (other then adding programs of course...lol). I can say this holds true for me for main edition ubuntu w/unity...experience could be different with the community versions (like kubuntu/xubuntu/lubuntu/etc)...

Also, for best success...do the upgrade "in place" (with software updater) not upgrade with the iso method...

Once snappy is available, then the need to upgrade should be eliminated as even stable snappy will be rolling style and the need for 6 month versions will likely be phased out...
There likely will be just LTS every 2 years, Snappy Stable (gets new stuff when development snaps are deemed ready) and Snappy Development (works much like development does now...you get it NOW whether it's ready or not for general release)...

[hattpa]

I have tried upgrading between different releases, and on different hardware, sadly each time it's caused issues.

I've learnt that a backup and fresh install is the way to go.

Another good reason to stay on LTS

[ajgreeny]

I get the impression that the move to 15.04 with it's change from upstart to systemd has caused more problems than usual this time, but I have no experience of upgrading from one version to another, having always upgraded by clean install. I have a separate /home partition which makes the whole new installation a 15 min job, with another hour or so to add back in all the extra applications I use a lot, plus the codecs.

I never update whilst installing, nor do I add the third party apps/codecs at that time either; I simply install very quickly and then update and add everything I need afterwards. It has always seemed a cleaner way to do the whole job, and probably quicker.

I am also another user who sticks firmly to the LTS versions, though I test the intermediate versions in VirtualBox.

[Bucky Ball]

According to Mark Shuttleworth in the pre-conference webcast last night we are moving to Snappy. Snap apps. The idea is there will be a development tree and a stable tree. If you are on the stable tree, I guess you'd be close to an LTS all the time. Figuring this is going to be like a rolling release, in a sense. Stable apps will be pushed to the stable tree from the dev tree when they're ready.

Have a look. V. interesting. Convergence is upon us!

PS: I stick to an LTS release because I need a rock solid install always, but I have four partitions for my playthings, and room for more. I even have 10.10 install in there still somewhere!

[ian-weisser]

the current big headline at ubuntu.com encourages users to install Snappy 15.04

And after that blind alley they will discover the correct desktop download.

If you look down to the "Get Ubuntu Desktop" link, it also suggests 15.04, though the page it links to recommends 14.04.2 first and 15.04 below it.

LTS is listed first, and "recommended for most users". Pretty powerful magnet there.
Seems already implemented...and perhaps moot in a few years when Snappy Personal, effectively a rolling release, becomes stable enough to take on both LTS and non-LTS roles.

[mörgæs]

Upgrade as in 'do a fresh install of the latest release': Yes, I tend to recommend that. There are many examples that new kernels have brought better graphics drivers and other improvements behind the curtain, though the user interface is more or less the same. Especially if people use new or new-ish hardware I try to direct them into the newest stuff.

I mostly use X/Lubuntu where development is slower than Unity. This leads to less surprises in each new release.

Upgrade as opposed to a fresh install: I agree, they should be discouraged. Swapping a thousand packages or more in one go is a major operation, and I'm surprised that it often works. Still I see it as the biggest hazard to a Linux install.

[monkeybrain20122]

I don't recommend 'upgrade', I think fresh install is the way to go A separate /home would be recommended too. I don't insist that people should just stick to LTS,-- I normally don't,--but at least wait a few weeks to a month before switching over. New releases tend to be somewhat buggy, unless you are trying to help with reporting bugs it is not a good idea to switch over at the first moment of release. I usually install a new release in an external drive, do some tests, file a few bugs, tweak it to my liking and wait for about a month, if everything works I would just clone it to my main drive.

Now with Unity 8 and Mir looming I am not sure if I want to take risks with the interim releases. 15.04 is very snappy and nice but if I switch over I would have to take a chance with 15.10 because of the short support cycle, as I said I won't switch to 16.04 as my main OS until at least June (same with 14.04) so if 15.10 is as bad as 14.10 I would have to either stick with it for 6 months or switch back to 14.04.