Never let it be said I'm not good at making messes. At least this one I think should be straightforward. Having just reinstalled Zorin after an unrelated adventure, I opted to remove Firefox and put it back from Mozilla's instructions. (I know this sounds crazy after Zorin switched to the APT version. Firefox was refusing to quit defaulting to Google search even after changing search settings, unchecking it and dropping it to the bottom of the list. I noticed help > About Firefox said Zorin 1.0, and figured that while it wasn't the likely cause, switching would be an easy test, based on past experience.)
I removed Firefox, then followed the instructions Mozilla provides, which served me well on an installation with the Zorin 17.1-r1 ISO.
With 17.1-r2, the final instruction that actually installs Firefox instead resorts to the snap from Canonical. The instructions provided by Mozilla were copied and pasted into the terminal and should be correct, my /etc/apt/sources.list.d does contain a mozilla.list, and /etc/apt/preferences.d does contain mozilla with the text it should, according to the instructions: Package: * Pin: origin packages.mozilla.org Pin-Priority: 1000
On an install from the previous ISO, I had no trouble. Nonetheless, I'm sure this is my error. Any thoughts on why it's reaching for Canonical's transitional package instead of Mozilla's actual package?
I explained why I did in the initial post, and that now sudo apt install firefox gets me the snap. Perhaps I'd have been better off to leave it alone, but that this point, APT no longer downloads the .deb.
Oh, You deleted the complete Repo from it? Maybe a bit too much but okay. It is Your System.
What is with the Signing Key ist this there, too?
And when You open the Terminal and type sudo apt update do you get any Error or Warning Messages for the Repo? If yes, could You post the Output here please?
This won't affect the apt command, though, and I'm not even sure if it will bypass Canonical's scummy and fraudulent fake apt installers that just silently trick you into using their garbage snaps when you had explicitly asked for the native release in the Software store. They're already intentionally, wilfully, and maliciously circumventing user choice with apt so I would be shocked if they aren't also doing it in gnome Software somehow.
The signing key is in /etc/apt/keyrings/packages.mozilla.org.asc.
@Ultrabenosaurus If that command doesn't affect APT, I assume it only affects the GNOME software store, correct? The software store only includes flatpak and snap as it is (for Firefox). Nonetheless, I issued the command you provided. I'm fine with flatpaks, though I prefer deb (usually... I recently discovered the flatpak works better for OBS), and don't want snaps at all.
Hmm ... Okay, when the Source is right ... Maybe You should repeat the Step to create the Priorization. I mean Step 5 in the Mozilla Guide. And after this type again sudo apt update and then try to install Firefox.
I am now thoroughly confused, because as I pointed out, the file in prefs that sets the prioritization was there, but this time I did get the .deb. Of course, I'm also confused about why if it's pulling from Mozilla, it knows that it's "Mozilla Firefox for Zorin OS," and irritated that my searches keep defaulting to Google (which is what started all this), but at least I have a native version of Firefox again. Thanks for your help!