ubuntu-announcement

Applicable until Ubuntu 12.10 (including it), normal non-LTS releases are supported for 18 months; valid until Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (including it), LTS releases are supported for 3 years (on the desktop) and 5 years (the server flavor).

Starting with Raring Ringtail, standard Ubuntu releases will be supported for 9 months, while LTS releases are to be supported for 5 years (starting with Ubuntu 12.04).

Across the latest cycles, Ubuntu has been subjected to a serious quality-focused effort, internal energy aimed at (and successfully implemented) constantly strengthening, optimizing and enhancing the full-fledged OS.

Nevertheless, it seems that the mentioned quality work has touched only certain Ubuntu parts, consequently, generating more quality for specific desktop parts (effort translated into an overall improved Ubuntu).

Months ago, the developers launched Ubuntu App Showdown, an exciting contest aimed at selecting winners from a 3 weeks-long open contest (time allowed for apps to be developed), where interested users submitted applications that, after an judging process, won prizes.

The mentioned prizes were expressed as a first prizing stage, followed by the second stage, where community votes established three new winners of Nokia N9 smartphones (following a publicly available voting webpage).

Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal was released on April 28th, 2011, consequently, due to Ubuntu's 18 month security updates per non-LTS release (starting with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, the 3 year per LTS period has been increased to 5 years long support for security and critical updates), benefits constantly added security fixes until October 28th, 2012.