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I have one server with Ubuntu 20.04. When I use sudo apt install ffmpeg it installs version 4.2.7 from http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu

In another server with Ubuntu 16.04, sudo apt install ffmpeg installs version 2.8.17 from http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu

I used apt update before installing, in both servers.

Does that mean version 2.8.17 is the latest version that is supported in Ubuntu 16.04? I need all my servers to get the same version of the software.

james hofer
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  • Questions about Ubuntu 16.04 are off topic on this site. It is a long gone EOL version. There are no new anything for an EOL version. – David Apr 06 '23 at 17:14
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    If you want them to all run the exact same version of apps they need to be the same version of OS. – David Apr 06 '23 at 17:15
  • @David How is that? I can install Node 16.16.0 in various Ubuntu versions, and I face no problem. But I don't use apt install for that. – james hofer Apr 06 '23 at 17:18
  • Because you can not. Apt update and upgrade do not work on EOL versions. You are playing with fire by just randomly deciding to install a version not intended for that version of the OS. – David Apr 06 '23 at 17:21
  • @David well, I see. – james hofer Apr 06 '23 at 17:43
  • The reason you can install newer node is because there are external repositories maintained by node developers who keep packages around for older releases of Ubuntu. You can technically upgrade all the way from 16.04 through 18.04 to 20.04. It'll take a while and the odd thing may break along the way. But it's possible. – popey Apr 06 '23 at 18:32
  • @popey thank you – james hofer Apr 08 '23 at 20:21

1 Answers1

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In general, Ubuntu aims to be stable. That means that for the life of the release, things should not change significantly. Interfaces should stay stable.

This also includes versions of packages. 20.04 means that you will have compatibility over the lifetime - it's unlikely that ffmpeg will change major version in 20.04. Rather, important security fixes are backported.

If you want same version from the repositories, you have to be on the same Ubuntu release. This is also the good thing about stable releases - it ensures compatibility between different machines.

vidarlo
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