LM 14 - XFCE vs LM 15 - XFCE -- EOL Dates

[lkraemer]

I'm running Linux Mint 14 "Nada" - XFCE, 64 Bit and it's supported until April 2014, but I'd like to install Linux Mint 15 - XFCE.
But, the website shows Linux Mint 15 "Olivia" - XFCE, 64 Bit it only supported until Jan 2014. Is this an error on the site,
since it just came out? Shouldn't the EOL of LM 15 be past LM 14?

http://www.linuxmint.com/oldreleases.php


THANKS, for LM - XFCE -- GREAT Distro's

Larry

[karlchen]

Hello, Larry.

Knowing that except for LMDE, all other Mint editions are heavily based on Ubuntu, please, compare [url=http://www.linuxmint.com/oldreleases.php]the Linux Mint Releases Schedules and the product lifetimes[/url] with the corresponding Ubuntu Releases and product lifetimes.

You will notice that starting with Ubuntu 12.04 the LTS editions will live for 5 years (used to be 3 years). This corresponds to Mint 13.
Starting with Ubuntu 13.04 the non-LTS lifetime was shortened to 9 months only (used to be 18 months). This corresponds to Mint 15.
So Ubuntu 12.10 / Mint 14 was the last non-LTS edition with a lifetime of 18 months.

This is why Olivia is going to retire before Nadia will.

Kind regards,
Karl

[sxavier]

Hi Everyone

Thanks for the clarification, however I just installed Mint 15 on my trusty old AMD Turion Notebook.
Never been happier.

Hope you can help with a few questions
- What does it mean come Jan 2014 - will I still get updates ?
- Will it be easy to move to Mint 16 without re-installing from scratch - or will the update manager do that for me?


Thanks a million in advance
xavier

[karlchen]

Hello, sxavier.

End of supported life for an operating system does not mean the operating system and the installed software will stop working. It means they will no longer receive any updates (bugfixes, new features).
This is going to happen to Mint 15 Olivia at the end of January 2014.

Upgrading from Mint 15 to Mint 16 can be performed in two different ways.
Please, read Clem's tutorial on how they work: [url=http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/2]How to upgrade to a newer release[/url]. Clem explains both upgrade paths, their pros and their cons, and it is no scret that he is in favour of a clean installation as opposed to an in-place upgrade.
Therefore, you may like to read the tutorial [url=http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/62]Upgrade linux mint in-place using apt[/url] as well and decide for yourself which upgrade path will be your path.

Kind regards,
Karl

[sxavier]

Thanks Karl much appreciated.