[Wylug-discuss] [WYLUG-DISCUSS] Stuck with Ubuntu?

[Paul Brook]

> On 29 March 2012 07:27, Andy Stanford <ajstanford at andystanford.me.uk> wrote:
> > It stays fairly current, particularly with the more popular apps, but not
> > so bleeding edge that you have to massage (or sledgehammer) it back into
> > life after an update.
> 
> That's the second time in this thread I've seen the same appalling
> American misquote. Edges cannot bleed. A leading edge, the correct
> expression, can cause bleeding if sharp enough and on an appropriate
> instrument. The edge itself, however, will not bleed however badly it
> is mistreated. Would anyone still confused please use the alternative
> correct term to imply a latest advance, cutting edge. :-)

Misquoting whom?  If an American is being quoted, then it's likely that the 
quote is accurate, regardless of whether the phrase has a sound logical basis.  
Many of the best quotes come from speakers deliberatly misusing conventional 
language structure.

Whether you like it or not, "bleeding edge" is a widely accepted term.  IMHO 
It's about as accurate as a "dripping tap".  A tap doesn't drip, the water 
leaking through it does.
 
> > From what you've said about what you're looking for, it might be worth a
> > try.
> 
> Indeed, it seems you have understood the problem. So I could rely on
> very common apps such as FF. GIMP and whatever the default office
> suite is not continuing to the point beyond which they are supported?

What exactly are you asking here? I can't make sense of your last sentence.  
Continuing what?

If you're working in isolation from the rest of the world, then a given system 
either works or it doesn't.  And it will continue to do so indefinitely[1].

As soon as you connect a system to the rest of the world (in particular the 
internet), either directly or indirectly, you have to worry about active 
maintenance.  Primarily security (new threats are continually evolving and 
exploiting previously undiscovered flaws), but also just to communicate with 
other systems that will change over time.  The whole point of a distro 
providing support for a release is that they will perform this security 
maintenance.  Once that support period ends, connecting such a machine to the 
internet is irresponsible and often harmful to others.

Paul

[1] Hardware dies eventually, but in practice is usually obsolete and 
discarded before that happens.