I can see among my friends that Ubuntu versions which were released in odd year (2019, 2017, 2015, 2013) were rarely used. In the past, I could see that people were using it evenly (11.04 and before), but since 2014 with 14.04 LTS, no one used 15.04 and 17.04. They are also using 18.04 now even when it is the end of 2019 (19.10 released). Or is it just me, my friends and my colleagues?
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3Highly speculative and anecdotal, you didn't provide any data to support your claim that "people were using it evenly (11.04 and before)". But this should be an explanation: Possible duplicate of What's the difference between a Long Term Support Release and a Normal Release? – pomsky Nov 25 '19 at 04:56
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That's exactly what I'm looking for, thanks @pomsky – Hùng Nguyễn Nov 25 '19 at 06:35
1 Answers
Ubuntu have many releases, most are in format yy.mm where yy is year, mm is month. Thus Ubuntu 18.04 LTS means 2018-April release which also happens to be a LTS or long-term-support release.
LTS releases are the first release on an even year starting from 6.06 or 2006-June release, 8.04, 10.04, 12.04, 14.04, 16.04 & finally 18.04 or 2018-April release. All releases since 2007 have been in April (2006 was late thus 6.06)
Most users don't want to release-upgrade their systems every 6-9 months, thus don't use the normal releases; which come out in April (with one exception being 6.06 or 2006-June) and October each year. Most instead use the LTS or long-term-support releases which have the option being treated like a normal release (upgrading to next); OR release-upgrading to the next LTS; ie. from 18.04 LTS it'll be possible to release-upgrade to 20.04 skipping the release in-between (thus skipping 18.10, 19.04 & 19.10). This will be possible once 20.04.1 has been release (offered later so stability can be assured). This is I think the answer you want.
Canonical/Ubuntu also do have specialist releases that come out using the format yy, but they are not general purpose releases. For example Ubuntu Core 16, Ubuntu Core 18 are IoT or appliance/device intended releases that come out only once per year, on the even years based on the 16.04 & 18.04 LTS releases respectively.
It's common for user to abbreviate 18.04 to 18; but it's imprecise; as do they mean Ubuntu Core 18 (on an IoT appliance or embedded device) or Ubuntu 18.04 LTS? We can only guess.
Ubuntu releases are yy.mm in format, unless a more targeted specialist, with most users sticking to LTS releases. Normal releases however do have later software at the cost of more frequent release-upgrades.

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