it is bad practice to have hidden repository modifications (Indeed, that is the primary complaint against Canonical for having done so.)
Yes, it could have a silent repo addition without the GUI popup. But doing this would emulate the poor practices of Canonical's redirect.
In the past I have always gone to mozilla website for the tarball of Firefox ESR (Extended Service Release).
No, exactly. The user decides to install Firefox and therefore agrees to follow your trick. In any case, you could ask the user whether to install the repository via command line instead of via the GUI.
From what I am reading, Zorin devs have countered the devious and nasty Canonical redirect, so users get an .apt as expected, not an unexpected and undesirable snap. Nice one 
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I agree that the intention and result are remarkable. I am actually only contesting the implementation, which, during installation via command line, requires a subsequent operation via GUI. I would just like to confirm the choice via terminal. That's all.
Yes, it would be nice if that was also in the terminal.
I think that the action of having it separate ensures transparency and awareness.
For a one time install, I think it is very minor to have to click outside the terminal to click one install button.
Zorin could implement the Mozilla Repo by default; then it wouldn't be neccessary to act like that here. Mozilla wouldn't be installed by default but it would be installable without this in-between Step.
Perfect. I agree.
I've just installed Firefox using the "Software" app, I ensured that "flatpak" is selected. I would say it is better then the "apt" way, because you will get newer app versions from the flatpak source.
Welcome to the Forum!
When You use Firefox APT Package and the Mozilla Repo will be added, You get the same new Versions like when You use the Flatpak Version. It comes directly from Mozilla.
Firefox is not just any software, and the decision to replace it has been controversial. I believe it's worthy of a welcome menu item: "which browser would you like to install/use as your default browser" and users click a button and make the choice.
I'm fairly used to Linux, but i'm not expert, and i cannot see without a search how to set Firefox as the default browser after installing the Flatpak.
hmm.. for people already on Zorin 17, i wonder what will happen with the upgrade to 18 
The problem with Flatpak is it does not integrate with the system. I have stated elsewhere that Firefox ESR is better than standard Firefox as the latter cannot be locked down (think Education, young users). Additionally it is just as easy to install from a tarball which is what I used to do before migrating to zen browser. As for browser chooser, Zorin used to offer this in the early days, which Feren OS copied. PCLOS Debian does not come pre-installed with any browser, instead it offers a Browser Installer. I've already posted a screenshot elsewhere on the forum.
When they have Firefox, it should stay on it.
You can make that in the Browser Settings of Firefox and set it there as default Browser.
That was the first thing i checked - it appears to be absent:
Maybe that's a Flatpak thing?
vs my Nobara PC:
EDIT - this thread implies it is a Flatpak thing, and @Aravisian provides a solution:
Flatpak's are not my preference and I exclude Flatpak directories from my backups, so i will seek the native installation too.
How long has the Firefox delivery been done via Snap (on Zorin)? When i set up my parent's PCs, Firefox was bundled - were they Snaps?
I really wish Zorin gave us options during the welcome (or installer). 
I can work around/with it, but there'll be a lot of people who just use whatever is installed. Also the Brave logo is dumb 
That's from my Nobara installation - for comparison 
But You should have that in every Firefox Installation, independently by the used OS.
Well, that's the point isn't it - it is not present on Zorin's Flatpak installed Firefox. My Nobara installed Firefox is not Flatpak. I believe it's Flatpak causing it.
This goes back to the earlier points we were making about our preference for Zorin to have a choice for users, and when people choose Firefox, for Zorin to provide the apt variant rather than the Snap or Flatpak variant.
