Requesting help/counsel (Snap-related)

General Help
1

Hi to everyone. I am on the fence about Zorin OS 18. I have it installed on my PC (Zorin 18 Core) for the time being. One thing that is stopping me from upgrading to Zorin 18 Pro is how there are transitional .DEB files in the GNOME software store (and Synaptic, too, since Zorin uses Ubuntu's repositories) for Snap files. I do NOT like Snaps. For example, suppose I want Thunderbird. The only .DEB file that's available is a transitional .DEB package that installs a Snap. I do not want Snaps. Even after disabling Snaps on Zorin, I still have to think/worry about transitional .DEB packages. I do not like the direction in which Ubuntu is headed. That is 100% for sure. This is why I switched to Debian for a while earlier, and still may switch back. If anyone has any suggestions on how to mitigate this problem, I am all eyes.

Thanks very much.

P.S.: To be clear - I would like only .DEBs. No Snaps or Flatpaks.

1 Like
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The mitigation most of us undertake is uninstalling support for snap. Flatpak too, though some of us don't mind Flatpak as much. I don't think there's much more that can be done on any Ubuntu-based distribution.

3

To provide the command:

sudo apt remove --purge flatpak snap snapd gnome-software-plugin-snap gnome-software-plugin-flatpak

In this way, No Snap or Flatpak will be offered in the Gnome Software store.

However...
If using the terminal with sudo apt install thunderbird, it will reinstall snapd and the Snap Thunderbird. This is because Canonical has a redirect in the Main Repository for many packages, including Firefox and Thunderbird. That is done in the repo's not on Zorin OS.

To avoid this, I use pkgs.org
to search and find the .deb package I need:
https://pkgs.org/search/?q=thunderbird

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That is what I did, but the .DEB file for Thunderbird from the Ubuntu repositories automatically installs the Snap version of Thunderbird, which is not what I want. I really do not like where Ubuntu is headed, long-term. Linux Mint is right to pursue a Debian-only version of Mint "just in case." The Zorin Group should consider releasing a version of Zorin with Debian repositories only.

5

Hi, Aravisian. I have used pkgs.org before, and I have also donated to the guy who runs the website because he provides such an invaluable service (plus he is in Ukraine; I legit did not know that until he replied to my "thank-you" e-mail). I am downloading the .DEB file for the ESR version of Thunderbird right now. See if that works. I don't know. We'll see. Thanks.

2 Likes
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Is it possible to use such a file as in Linux Mint at
/etc/apt/preferences.d/nosnap.pref
to prevent the install of snaps completely?

I thought when snapd.socket is removed snapd can't be re-enabled?

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I added that file and tested it. Here is the result:

sudo apt install thunderbird                                                                     
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 thunderbird : PreDepends: snapd but it is not installable
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
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8

Arguably better than the alternative. At least snap won't slip back in, but you still have to go find another source for the software thanks to blatant misuse of dependencies.

9

This apt to snap redirect is a big disincentive for me to move from Z17.3 to Z18.
I consider Canonical are now acting in bad faith, it is more than just sneaky.

Zorin devs spent time to offer user choice of apt, snap, flatpak via Software store and to distinguish these sources in a easily understandable way. This is now undermined as you do not know if you got the apt source you chose or snap that you did not choose.

Also users will think they have apt's and wonder why functionality symptoms appear snap like. It also makes our life on the forum more difficult, as we now have to ask the user "do you really have an apt or did you end up unexpectedly with a snap instead". Grrr.

3 Likes
10

Bluntly speaking, they need to rethink this. Maybe just stick with .DEBs only, or go for a compromise, like .DEBs and Flatpaks only? No Snaps. Still on the fence about Zorin 18 Pro for this reason alone.

11

Yes, the Thunderbird Thing ... that is an Ubuntu Issue like You can imagine. Like Ubuntu kicked out a Firefox .deb from Ubuntu 22.04, they kicked Yout the Thunderbird .deb from Ubuntu 24.04. Only for explaining that.

Now You would have the following Options:

  1. Install the Flatpak
    https://flathub.org/en/apps/org.mozilla.Thunderbird
    But because, You don't like Flatpak either, maybe not an Option, too.

  2. Download it from the Thunderbird Website:
    https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/

  3. Add the mozillateam PPA from Ubuntu:
    Firefox ESR and Thunderbird stable builds : “Mozilla Team” team
    Don't be irritated by the Name. This is not from Mozilla itself. It is a Team who cares about the Mozilla Stuff for Ubuntu. I guess, that could be a Way for You.

12

I've seen that at least once on this forum before. A user was adamant they'd installed the APT version and wouldn't listen when told that wasn't what they'd ended up with.

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