Is it me or Ubuntu secretly replaces DEB Firefox with Snap Firefox?

[eugenia@lemmy.ml]

Yes, this is known. They do the same for Chromium. If you want a browser from ubuntu, it's going to be a snap.

[phar@lemmy.ml]

At this point, why is anyone using Ubuntu for desktop? You have soooo many options

[notabot@lemm.ee]

I suspect that what's happened is you installed the apt version, then at some point upgraded it and there was a version in the main repo that had a higher version number and installed the snap version. If two repositories both have a package with the same name, and no other rules in place, the higher version number wins.

If that is the case, you need to pin the firefox package to the mozilla repository. You can find more details here: https://wiki.debian.org/AptConfiguration

[satanclaus@lemmy.dbzer0.com]

Solve the problem. Drop ubunutu

[doubtingtammy@lemmy.ml]

Yes. That was the last straw for me. I switched to debian stable, and haven't looked back since

[fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.de]

Hah! Me too, exactly this.

[amaterasu@lemmy.world]

No defending Ubuntu but wasn't this clarified to be Mozilla's deploying it via Snap and requesting to remove the apt installation?

[morphit@feddit.uk]

[jubilantjaguar@lemmy.world]

Because not everyone wants to spend their time babysitting an OS and Ubuntu has a 20-year track record of dependability.

[bluescreenofdeath@lemmy.world]

It takes a little more than just adding a different repository to your package manager, you have to tell apt which to prefer:

echo '
Package: *
Pin: origin packages.mozilla.org
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: firefox*
Pin: release o=Ubuntu
Pin-Priority: -1' | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/mozilla

[jubilantjaguar@lemmy.world]

Exactly. Enough with the inane conspiracism.

[goodeye8@lemm.ee]

Why even enable snaps? It's like asking to have headaches.

[jubilantjaguar@lemmy.world]

Well then you haven't been following it closely. As someone else said, the reason is simple: the Snap version is more recent (like it or not) and in Ubuntu apt is configured to take into account Snap packages.

[juxtaposedjaguar@lemmy.ml]

It's more than that. Ubuntu copies the Debian repos and then applies their own changes on top. Debian has a native (DEB) Firefox package, so Ubuntu specifically has to remove it for every new version.

[juxtaposedjaguar@lemmy.ml]

It's a dilemma; most Windows and Mac users would benefit from that kind of locked-down, idiot-proof format. Even having the choice of multiple repos is too much for them. So while I personally hate it, that's what most people (i.e. non-Linux users) want and need.

I recommend Ubuntu as the beginner distro for everyone, but with the hope that they eventually drop the training wheels and switch to Debian.

[juxtaposedjaguar@lemmy.ml]

Debian testing just isn’t a very good rolling release disto

What makes you say that?

[pebbles@sh.itjust.works]

I agree Ubuntu is the easy choice. You can totally find a desktop you don't have to baby sit, but Ubuntu has the marketing to help you find them and feel safe.

I've had no issues with fedora, I've been running it for about a year.

[decker108@lemmy.ml]

You could compile it from source yourself, and you won't even have to worry about packaging and package managers.

[jubilantjaguar@lemmy.world]

Exactly. But I would go further. I think Linux needs flagship distros with big solid institutions behind them, and it needs us to support those distros by using them. I know this is not an popular opinion here.

I see those flagship distros precisely as Fedora and Ubuntu.

[morbidcactus@lemmy.ca]

While I get that, Debian fits that role extremely well.