a general question - what's the difference between the versions?

[Rashkae]

John DeCarlo wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 4:10 PM, <Michael.Coll-Barth at verizonwireless.com>wrote:
> 
>> If I had installed 8.04 and I kept updating the system, what am I not
>> getting that I would get by downloading and installing from scratch
>> either 9.10 or 10.04 ( OK, in a few days when it comes out of beta )?
>> Would I not have the latest kernel?   Doesn't the update manager keep
>> all of the software I have installed up to date with whatever the
>> authors of that package release?
>>
> 
> 
> No, no, and no.
> 
> If you installed 8.04 and kept updating, you would have the newest version
> of nothing at all.
> 
> You would have some security patches applied to old versions, that is all.
> 
> Once a release is final, no software gets updated unless it has a security
> problem.
> 
> 

However, keep in mind that be default, the Ubuntu Update manager will 
ask you if you want to upgrade the distro every time a new release comes 
out, in which case, the OP would have a complete up to date system 
without having to re-install from scratch.