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Ubuntu stopped being the lightweight Linux distro, and Linux Mint filled the gap it left behind
(www.xda-developers.com)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
ubuntu's early popularity had nothing to do with it being 'lightweight' (because it really wasn't).. but rather simply because it was 'new' and 'easier', and everybody was jumping on that bandwagon. that's it.
xubuntu came around with dapper (june '06) and quickly became a popular recommendation for older or low-spec hardware. ubuntu itself was never that choice. ever.
linuxmint has been going strong longer than '3-4 years'. a lot longer.
it is your choice to ignore updates. you know your software is out-of-date and vulnerable.