Right way to update meson?

[Aravisian]

@mushroomboi

I try to avoid that as I don't know if I can trust some random repo. My paranoid self worries that the owner could just throw in a malicious version of a popular app (such as Firefox) with a greater version number, and wouldn't that just trick apt into updating it to the compromised version?

Is there any checking done by folks at https://launchpad.net/? can folks assume that if they are listed there they are "safe" or something?

I can answer this since;

GTK Themes : Aravisian

The steps a person must go through to validate their identity and get a gpg fingerprint are vigorous.
Uploading packages to a repository require that digital fingerprint and that you digitally sign each and every package.
During this process, you must pass through lintian.
Once done, the launchpad server installs your software on a Virtual Machine and tests it. Any failure can result in that package being rejected.

I have had simple or small errors cause this rejection and you must go in and see what happened... And I am not alone in this. Most any repository holder deals with this. I have managed to not fail any builds for a while by being tedious, but ZorinGroup has had a slightly less lucky time:

You can imagine if that if the conscientious and professional ZorinGroup can still get some Failed Builds (0.02%), anyone can.
It is due to this rigorousness that many devs push for Flatpak or Snaps as that is less vigorous and far easier to upload to.

I can assure you that using a repository is Quite Safe. As soon as you connect to the internet and communicate with other servers, there is always an element of risk. But when that risk is far, far far lower than a Shark Attack when you live far inland; it simply is not worth worrying about.

[mushroomboi]

Amazing, this really puts an end to my worries. Gotta love Linux man! Thanks for this info!.

I really prefer apps from apt, but unfortunately some I use and need are not available there. In those situations I go with Flatpak, as I really dislike snaps.

Speaking of themes, are the Zorin themes available from flathub? I am having issues in i3 where all Flatpack apps have default Adwaita (as well as some in normal Zorin mode) and I have read that having themes installed from Flathub should fix most issues due to them being available in the sandbox. Are you guys aware of workarounds? Would it be a good idea to open an issue suggesting they be made available there if they are not?

[Aravisian]

@mushroomboi

Speaking of themes, are the Zorin themes available from flathub?

Yes and they come preinstalled as flatpaks on Zorin OS.
@StarTreker has posted how to fix that... I cannot recall the fix off the top of my head since I do not use either Snap or Flatpak.
I can try searching his posts or see if he comes to the rescue responding to the @ sign above...

[mushroomboi]

I couldn't find that under the topics he has created, could it be it was a reply to another's post?

[Aravisian]

Yes, I was searching too and just found one that mentions it (there are several):

Some programs can't see external drives

Aravisian post for the compatibility layer install is awesome, please do that. But what FrenchPress also said is very true about the sandbox nature of FLATPAK's. If your using any FLATPAK APPS, the easiest way to provide them permission to see mounted drives, is by using FLATSEAL https://flathub.org/apps/details/com.github.tchx84.Flatseal You can learn how to use it from Youtube video's. But essentially its a FLATPAK manager APP. One of its features, will allow you to provide permission to F…

Flatseal. Now I will try to remember it.

[mushroomboi]

Yes, I have used Flatseal on the Zorin environment to grant apps permissions filesystem=home or filesystem=host (I am unsure which of the 2 is the best to use). That is what made most of them work with the Zorin theme.
That, unfortunately does not extend to i3. They all start up with the default Adwaita theme. I don't know if I am supposed to start some gnome daemon when logging in or if I must do something else.

[Aravisian]

@mushroomboi

That, unfortunately does not extend to i3. They all start up with the default Adwaita theme. I don't know if I am supposed to start some gnome daemon when logging in or if I must do something else.

I am sorry; my ignorance of Flatpak usage and workarounds is very apparent here.
It may be that the i3 window manager is what we need to look at.
Is it just the window borders that are in Adwaita, or the entire themed window?

[StarTreker]

When I created the tutorial, nobody took it seriously. This is very apparent by the responses I got, and I am still not OK with that, when everybody else's tutorials got likes and respect. This is part of why its hard to find, cause its buried in the forum from lack of views and respect I think.
https://forum.zorin.com/t/how-to-setup-external-drives-with-steam-flatpak/8233/13

But yes, Flatseal is how I did it guys.

Yes, I get it, Flatpack is not popular among some folks around here. But you know what, some people use Flatpack cause they have to. So Flatpack related issues are just as important as APT package related issues or whatever.

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[mushroomboi]

This is what they look. On the right is the Flatpak app. Left is not Flatpak, but I get some huge borders on some "system" apps Like gedit, Nautilus, Settings, etc.

[mushroomboi]

@StarTreker

Yes, I get it, Flatpack is not popular among some folks around here. But you know what, some people use Flatpack cause they have to. So Flatpack related issues are just as important as APT package related issues or whatever.

I also get the impression that they are being pushed, by some, as eventual replacements for how apps are distributed in distros.

[StarTreker]

I freely admit that is most certainly the case in POP OS especially. POP OS makes up for about 40-installed packages on my system. If you were to remove all the FLATPAK APPS on my POP OS system, POP OS would be broken, since the OS structure itself, relies heavily on them.

Still though, the majority of normal packages is 3100 rightr from DPKG's, I don't know, thats one of the reasons why I post these screenshots, that way I can show the evidence, instead of it just being, my word against another's or whatever.

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[Aravisian]

@mushroomboi

but I get some huge borders on some "system" apps Like gedit, Nautilus, Settings, etc.

These are the CSD (Client Side Decoration) apps that do not use the Window Manager to make the borders.

[mushroomboi]

Why do they show up? Can they be turned off?

[Aravisian]

@mushroomboi

Why do they show up? Can they be turned off?

In Gnome Desktop, they cannot be turned off. However, they can be turned off for the Home User on other Desktop Environments. If you are a Zorin OS Lite user, then you can disable the wayward CSD's on applications that cause them to not match the rest of the D.E.
This is done using gtk3-nocsd package.

sudo apt install gtk3-nocsd

That's it. No need to do anything else. After restarting and logging into Cinnamon or XFCE or whatever non-Gnome D.E. you are using, the CSD's are gone and all applications use the Proper Window Borders.

[mushroomboi]

@Aravisian

If you are a Zorin OS Lite user

I am on the Core version. Will this work there as well?

[Aravisian]

@mushroomboi

I am on the Core version. Will this work there as well?

It will not.
The package gtk3-nocsd is for Window Managed Desktops. Gnome is not one; it dumps window management on the Client, instead.

[mushroomboi]

So is there no solution for core then?

[Aravisian]

Not on the Sidetopic we were just engaged in. But I think the current actual issue was the two apps not following the same theme.
And I just finally had my wee little brain percolate a thought...
Is that other app a QT app?
QT apps do not follow gtk theme--- But they can be Made To Do so.
If you could please check if the apps in question are QT based and not GTK based, that would answer the question and point us toward the solution.

[mushroomboi]

It is GTK based. The same happens to all Flatpaks.

I wonder if I am supposed to execute some program when starting i3wm or something. Currently I run this: exec --no-startup-id gnome-settings-daemon

But again, to get Flatpaks to display themes properly on the Gnome env on my machine (I believe it wasn't this bad in Z15.3) I had to manually give them permission in Flatseal, so I am not sure.

[Aravisian]

@mushroomboi

But again, to get Flatpaks to display themes properly on the Gnome env on my machine (I believe it wasn't this bad in Z15.3) I had to manually give them permission in Flatseal, so I am not sure.

Yes... It may well be due to using i3 Desktop. Which I have personally never used. I am ignorant about its ins and outs.