Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial End of Standard Support

[oerdnj]

In April 2021, Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial will reach End of Standard Support and will be available only as a paid option through Ubuntu Extended Security Maintenance.

What does it mean for DEB.SURY.ORG PPAs?

• The packages for Ubuntu 16.04 will be deleted shortly after the EoL/EoSS is announced, usually at the same time as the next PHP release is published because it's not possible to build the packages any more.
• The packages for Ubuntu 16.04 will be available via PHP LTS by Freexian paid program. This is cheaper option than previously announced Private dedicated repositories.

With the experience of Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty EOL, I can't stress enough that you should plan ahead and have your servers already upgraded by now. Yesterday was too late.

[andrewfenn]

I understand the need to monetize the service you're offering. It is a good service. I would ask you to reconsider deleting packages from the mirror though. By deleting the deb files in the mirror you're breaking systems and creating a situation where it's too risky to even migrate to your paid LTS service as there is no way to rollback. You will also catch a lot of people off guard who just followed some tutorial using your mirror from many years ago. They don't realize they're one apt-get install away from breaking their webserver with no way to go back. They most likely never saw your warnings before like myself wondering why I can not install the zip module for PHP anymore. In launchpad you can keep old versions in the mirror without having to build or support them any longer. I would ask you to think about doing this in the future.

[oerdnj]

No. And I am not having this discussion all over again every two years.

Those are the conditions - I am not providing packages for distributions past EOL date. Take it or leave it.

[andrewfenn]

Just for myself and others benefit as I am sure there will be many people coming to this with the same problem... do you still have copies of the old files for sale or is the paid support completely different deb packages? Is it possible to purchase the old deb files I need?

[oerdnj]

Ubuntu 16.04 files haven't been removed yet. There was no PHP release since Xenial end-of-life.

Ubuntu 14.04 file you are requesting has been removed 2 years ago.

The packages will be different (and up-to-date) because of smaller set of libraries backported. Also there would be no such service, the goal here isn't to monetize the service, but to provide packages with all the security patches applied.

I haven't changed my stance since the inception of the service. I am not going to provide access to outdated vulnerable packages.

[oerdnj]

And it has been done. The Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial) packages have been removed from the repositories.

[robocoder]

@dianaxxyyzz Since I've received 4 email notifications from your rant, I'll remind you that Github's Terms of Service includes the following:

That means you should be respectful and civil at all times, [...]

Reference: https://docs.github.com/en/github/site-policy/github-community-guidelines#what-is-not-allowed

[oerdnj]

Thanks @robocoder (also because the comments got deleted without a trace and your comment has the github username) and sorry that you all had to read this. I've blocked and reported the abusive user.

[andrewfenn]

@oerdnj Thanks for hard work you put in. Some of us might not agree on your specific policies you've made clear, but we all do appreciate your work. Please ignore the minority of negative comments like what was posted by that user.

[trantor]

@oerdnj First thanks a lot for the repos and packages still under maintenance. However, as far as the 16.04 packages are concerned, on the PHP LTS by Freexian page it seems as though they have not been published (yet?). Could you, by any chance, provide some more info on timing?

• The packages for Ubuntu 16.04 will be available via PHP LTS by Freexian paid program. This is cheaper option than previously announced Private dedicated repositories.

[oerdnj]

Somebody has to fund the initial packaging and as far as I know this has just recently happened, but since I am mostly on vacation, I don't know any details. The initial set of packages are to be published by the end of August or early September.

[oerdnj]

I don't understand why @oerdnj is essentially forcing us to run "supported" operating system versions for no valid reason

I don't force you do anything. These are the conditions under I provide the packages, nobody is preventing you from compiling the PHP from sources.

Now, please take you rant elsewhere it is not welcome here.

[oerdnj]

Let me be absolutely clear here - if you come here ranting, act all entitled and demand I do stuff for you for free, your are going to get blocked and you rants will be deleted. The word free in the free software doesn't mean you are entitled to command other people to do what you want or need. It's about sharing, helping to build better world and being nice to each other. If you think that free means that you have to fill your plate with free stuff and you yell at the staff that the buffet is out of crab cakes, you are not welcome here. This is about bringing your best food to have a nice picnic in the park.

[Remzi1993]

Let me be absolutely clear here - if you come here ranting, act all entitled and demand I do stuff for you for free, your are going to get blocked and you rants will be deleted. The word free in the free software doesn't mean you are entitled to command other people to do what you want or need. It's about sharing, helping to build better world and being nice to each other. If you think that free means that you have to fill your plate with free stuff and you yell at the staff that the buffet is out of crab cakes, you are not welcome here. This is about bringing your best food to have a nice picnic in the park.

I fully agree! I still don't understand why some people feel entitled to someone's time who is doing things for free. Also happened to me (I was a maintainer of something small). If it's that important I would advise them to hire us to make it happen, but that's not what they want. They want us to work for free and extra hard, can't have it both ways and cherry pick.

[axlotl]

"The word free in the free software doesn't mean you are entitled to command other people to do what you want or need."

No, but it does mean "free" as in no money. When I installed slackware in 1996 I paid for the little stack of 3.5" floppies. No prob. But the software on them was free.