Kubuntu LTS should update KDE between major releases like they do for the kernel

[Domojestic]

For the majority of *Ubuntu's LTS release, it's been on kernel 5.15. This was until the 22.04.3 update in August, where they migrated the kernel to the newer (and non-LTS) 6.2, which allowed for better hardware support. I feel this was a good move on the whole, as lots can change over a year and a half, and making sure your hardware is still being supported on the newest version of the "long-term support" branch of an operating system is quite important.

Why, then, are we not doing the same for the desktop environment?

To provide some context, I was having some issues with Discover recently, a weird duplication of sources bug on certain apps. "No issue," I thought, "Nate's always on the Bugzilla forums, so I'll just bring it up to put it in the pipeline." So, I made an issue, mentioned I was on Plasma 5.24 on Kubuntu LTS, and waited for a response on when my bug would be fixed. This was the response I received:

Yikes!

However I'm afraid Plasma 5.24 is unfortunately no longer eligible for support or maintenance from KDE. Plasma is a fast-moving project, and bugs in one version are often fixed in the next one. Please update to Plasma 5.27 as soon as your distro offers it to you. If you need support for Plasma 5.24, please contact your distro, who bears the responsibility of providing support for older non-LTS releases.

If this issue is still reproducible in Plasma 5.27, feel free to re-open this bug report.

Thanks for understanding!

What does this mean? It means that the "more stable" long-term support branch of Kubuntu will be using an unmaintained desktop environment for the next 5 months. Bugs, instabilities, security problems, all of these will be left untouched on the version of the OS that is meant to be "more stable" for users.

So, why can't there just be a mid-timeline update on the DE like there is on the kernel? During the time Kubuntu's been out, a newer LTS version was already released that either fixed lots of these problems, or at the very least *will* fix them if they're brought up. This would improve usability, stability and support, and ensure that the version of the OS people select for reliability doesn't suddenly pop up with a weird bug that they'll have to wait half a year to get fixed.

[Schwarzer Kater]

I think then Canonical would have to officially do this for every other of the *Ubuntu desktop environments too…
Much more work than replacing the kernel!

In case of Kubuntu you can use the Kubuntu Backports and the Kubuntu Backports Extra PPAs if you want to have KDE Plasma 5.27.x for Kubuntu 22.04 LTS.
They also come with KDE Frameworks 5.104 and KDE Gear 22.04.3.
Although this already contradicts the "LTS" thought in the more narrow sense (AFAIK Ubuntu Server 22.04 still uses kernel 5.15.x by default - correct me if I am wrong).

The same goes for Lubuntu 22.04 LTS with their backports PPA for LXQt.

See KDE Plasma 5.27.9 available in Kubuntu Backports Extra

and Overview: Kubuntu, its parent and some of its siblings.

If you want to have newer "stuff" you can also use the Kubuntu interim releases like Kubuntu 23.04 or 23.10 - that is what they are meant for.

PS: "stable" in the Debian (and *Ubuntu LTS) sense does not necessarily mean "free of bugs"!

PPS: One could also debate if KDE Plasma as a desktop environment is best suited for more static distributions/releases like Debian (stable), openSUSE Leap or Kubuntu LTS - or if one is not better off with something rolling like Arch or openSUSE Tumbleweed or (to be imprecise) semi-rolling like Fedora ?
And then there are also distributions like KDE neon or TUXEDO OS that are some kind of "in-between" solutions…

So IMHO for nearly everyone's needs and preferences there already is a distribution out there - you just have to find it!

[claydoh]

What does this mean? It means that the "more stable" long-term support branch of Kubuntu will be using an unmaintained desktop environment for the next 5 months. Bugs, instabilities, security problems, all of these will be left untouched on the version of the OS that is meant to be "more stable" for users.

https://kubuntu.org/news/plasma-5-27...lable-via-ppa/
There are technical reasons for not offering more current desktops stuff in LTS, namely it breaks release upgrades for those who might want or need to migrate from LTS to a non-LTS path - people who stick to the 6-month cadence, for example.

Plasma 5.24 used to be an LTS release for Plasma, before KDE decided to make 5.27 LTS (earlier than usual or expected, I believe.) with the decision to start working on Plasma 6. Else you might have seen some fixes in 5.24 stuff. Plasma LTS are usually for about two years, and mostly line up with Kubuntu/Ubuntu LTS releases. Just not this time.

Why, then, are we not doing the same for the desktop environment?

New, major kernels a few times, starting after the first year, and every 6 months for a little while. (note that most of the kernel updates are NOT actual version upgrades, but patches to the existing one)

As to whole desktop environments, well that sort of goes against the whole reason for LTS in general, and is against Ubuntu policies and infrastructure. Hence the use of PPAs as a "workaround" (not the best word, since Kubuntu PPAs are official enough, and not mandatory)

[dejjanku]

I am actually against updating everything all the time. Thats why LTS exists and minor updates are available for those who need it in the meantime.

[kc1di]

LTS releases are meant to be stable, upgrading the DE all the time would cause a multitude of problems with some packages. so For those that need the latest and greatest there is the regular releases every 6 months or so. LTS is solid and should stay that way. JMHO.

[claydoh]

Often, it is actually not possible to upgrade Plasma or other components due to lower level dependencies, specifically those that Kubuntu themselves do not control. And if it decided to do build and provide those things, this also means maintaining and updating those things as well. If Kubuntu were its own thing, and not an official 'respin' of Ubuntu, this could be possible (KDE neon, for example, exists).

[jglen490]

With the *buntus, you have a choice. Update every six months and have the latest and greatest of everything, or update LTS every two years and have the most stable of everything.

Not saying that "latest and greatest" is not stable.

Each is a good choice, depending on your computing needs, and maybe your own need for change

[oshunluvr]

With the *buntus, you have a choice. Update every six months and have the latest and greatest of everything, or update LTS every two years and have the most stable of everything.

Not saying that "latest and greatest" is not stable.

Each is a good choice, depending on your computing needs, and maybe your own need for change

100% agree. The whole purpose of LTS is to not be on the continuous upgrade merry-go-round. I've said it many times: Linux is all about choice.

[jglen490]

[jlittle]

Update every six months and have the latest and greatest of everything

For some, on occasion myself, the six month releases have been far from the latest and greatest. Much further along the spectrum towards the latest than LTS, but rolling releases are further still, and from there you can go to nightly builds, or building from source as it changes.

[Schwarzer Kater]

At least thanks to the work in the Kubuntu Backports PPA the Kubuntu interim releases feature the "latest and greatest" stable stuff of KDE Plasma, Gear and Frameworks.
The rest of the system remains mostly the same for six months, though, and of course one cannot compare the *Ubuntu interim releases to e.g. rolling releases.

[jglen490]

For some, on occasion myself, the six month releases have been far from the latest and greatest. Much further along the spectrum towards the latest than LTS, but rolling releases are further still, and from there you can go to nightly builds, or building from source as it changes.

Very true, but some of us don't need the aggravation