Those still making use of Ubuntu 23.10 ‘Mantic Minotaur’ should be aware that official support for this version of Ubuntu ends on July 11, 2024.
Which, to orient the blissfully slow who, like me, remain convinced 2024 has only just started, is this week: July 11 is on Thursday.
As an interim/short-term support release, Ubuntu 23.10 gets just 9 months of support (i.e., updates from Canonical and Ubuntu developers) from the date of its release. Having arrived in October 2023, July 2024 is when the ‘Mantic Minotaur’ is no-more.
But what happens when support for an Ubuntu release ends and it hits end-of-life (EOL)?
Truth be told, it’s incredibly dramatic.
As soon as the clock strikes midnight and July 11th begins the Ubuntu 23.10 desktop starts to crumble. The top bar caves in, shattering at the bottom of the screen. Apps explode on launch. Nautilus sets about shredding all personal files, without warning.
And worst of all, a rusty Clippy appears, scythe in hand, to glibly observe with a ghostly glee: “it looks like your Linux isn’t working. Shall I acquire a Windows license?”
Actually, no—none of that happens 😅.
In fact, nothing much does.
When support for an Ubuntu release ends, it’s uneventful. It simply means users get no further updates for any package in the Ubuntu repos — no security patches, critical bug fixes, software updates, or anything else from Canonical once the EOL date hits.
Snap (and Flatpak) updates do continue to filter in, as will updates from 3rd-party PPAs and APT repos (though most, invariably, do stop producing builds for EOL releases at some point).
To continue getting updates after July 11, users of Ubuntu 23.10 should upgrade to Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
Support for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS ends in 2029, and Ubuntu Pro adds security coverage for several years beyond this (Ubuntu Pro is only available on LTS releases thus is not an option for those looking to stay on 23.10).
Ubuntu upgrades can be done in-place, i.e., no need to reinstall from scratch (though many prefer a ‘clean slate’ approach). Upgrading Ubuntu to a new version does require an active internet connection, and the faster the connection speed, the faster the upgrade.
While generally a painless procedure, upgrades aren’t without potential issues (and the odd failure). For this reason, making backups of any critical files and settings is advised prior to upgrading any version of Ubuntu to another.
Otherwise, users can continue to use 23.10 and all of its features as-is, after July 11, aware they’ll get no security updates, critical fixes, or other support from Canonical or the Ubuntu community beyond this date.
But since it’s possible to upgrade directly, i.e., no need to download an ISO and do a fresh install, there’s arguably no real reason not to upgrade soon.
Still running 23.10? Let me know your upgrade plans down in the comments!