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I am using ubuntu 12.04 32bit. We know that you can't install all latest application in it. As an example you can't install unity >=6.0 generally, also python >=3.2.3. For that we need to upgrade our distribution(version). But 12.10 or 13.04 is not LTS and 12.10 is not stable as 12.04.

Is there anyway that i can install every latest application without upgrade my distribution? If not, then why i can't do that?

thanks in advance.

shantanu
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    12.10 is no more or less "stable" then 12.04, it is an issue of how long it is supported. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases and http://askubuntu.com/questions/183000/what-are-the-differences-between-different-releases-of-ubuntu. To upgrade a single application you can use pinning https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PinningHowto or backports https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuBackports, but IMO you are best off installing from source. See – Panther Mar 21 '13 at 17:58
  • I totally missed that part... indeed: 12.10 is just as stable as 12.04. The core of 12.10 and 12.04 is probably exactly the same. – Rinzwind Mar 21 '13 at 18:01

1 Answers1

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Is there anyway that i can install every latest application without upgrade my distribution?

No.

Well ... yes you can. You could install 12.10. Technically that is not a dist-upgrade ;) Backup your private files, format the disc and install 12.10 as a brand new installation.

If not, then why i can't do that?

Because the repositories for a release do not have the software that is not for newer releases (backports excluded). To get the software for 12.10 you need to change the resources list and have it point to the 12.10 repositories. What in effect is a distribution upgrade.

If you want a setup where you can do this you need to find a linux flavour that supports a roling release. Examples: Debian unstable, Sabayon Linux, Calculate Linux, Funtoo Linux (all based on Gentoo Linux), Arch Hurd, ArchBang, CTKArch, KahelOS, and Parabola GNU/Linux (all based on Arch Linux), Arch Linux, Gentoo Linux, rPath Linux, and Yoper Linux.

1 additional comment:

As of 13.04 this is going to change: archive.ubuntu.com will get a symlink always pointing to the current development release. So basically, users will be able to always use the current Ubuntu development release without having to upgrade.

Rinzwind
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  • Thanks for you quick reply. If i change the sources.list (add 12.10 repositories) in ubuntu 12.04, then can i install all packages? As i know, it will break my system in most case because of dependencies. – shantanu Mar 21 '13 at 17:57
  • Yes, you can but please do not. Thing is... the command you then need is the dist-upgrade routine. – Rinzwind Mar 21 '13 at 18:01