Do we have any gurus here? I have a couple of questions.

Ubuntu Studio can be found in parts, sound, video, and art can be found in
Synaptic Package Manager. Music composing can be a bit tricky, because getting
midi/usb keyboard and JackD to run soft synths. The whole Ubie studio runs on
Real Time kernel if you desire to install it. However, that can be
buggy. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuStudio The suit is supported by
Ubie.

I read most of the info I could find on it. What I might have missed - is it
64bit, too?

Will it run the new updated GIMP? I'm interested it trying it.

It isn't on an update schedule like Ubuntu is it? I thought I saw 5 years.

I read the specs on 12.10, and most of that I simply don't want. Those that like
all the goodies can have them and my share, too. I don't drool over animated
desktops and One. I'm not a social networker.

I'm more interested in photography and art so studio sounds like it might fit
better.

Ubuntu Studio comes out in 32 and 64-bit versions. Its release cycle is
every two years (I think, there is still some uncertainty about its
continued development) with only three year support compared to Ubuntu's
six month (every two years for LTS) release cycle and support for five
years (LTS) or 18 months (intermediate releases). Before 12.04 this project
was in trouble, but it may have worked that out because it was a successful
release.

I think that you will have to use a PPA to get the latest GIMP.