It's easy to assume, from the stunning rate at which OEMs roll out newer and better versions of PCs, phones, tablets and other popular hardware, that few consumers want to hold on to aging devices. But if a new community-based spinoff of Ubuntu named LXLE is any indication, there are those who are, in fact, keen on keeping legacy computers running--even if it means building the requisite software themselves.

LXLE, which stands for "Lubuntu Extra Life Extension," is based on Lubuntu 12.04, a lightweight version of Canonical's popular Ubuntu operating system. Lubuntu caters to aging computers, but LXLE brings that focus a step further by promising to maintain support for legacy computers even as Lubuntu abandons the most out-of-date devices.  And it even looks pretty nice doing it:

The new spinoff is also an important resource for Lubuntu fans because the team behind it (who, actually, appears to be only one person) has committed to providing continuous updates for the current LXLE release until Canonical pushes out the next longterm support (LTS) release of Ubuntu. That means users can stick to a single version of LXLE for up to five years without having to upgrade. Lubuntu's life cycle currently maxes out at only 18 months.

Beyond enhancing Lubuntu hardware support and updates, LXLE also modifies many of the applications included in stock Lubuntu. The changes add a lot of heavier-weight but also more popular applications--such as LibreOffice and the GIMP--to the Lubuntu core. For the most part, Lubuntu itself features very basic (and, hence, lighter-weight) productivity tools.

LXLE went live just a few days ago, and is available as a free 1.5GB download for both 32-bit and 64-bit computers.

Legacy Hardware and the Channel

As a young, independent project, LXLE is unlikely to gain the attention of too many people outside of the small Lubuntu world. But it is significant as an example of the desire of some consumers to keep older hardware around, even when the high-profile operating systems on which they depend no longer support it.

Not everyone, it turns out, is in a frenzy to upgrade to the latest and greatest device, and if OS vendors won't cater to their needs, they'll do it themselves--in the open source world, at least, where building value-added platforms such as LXLE is perfectly legal and not too difficult.