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Disabling Snaps in Ubuntu 20.04

kevin-custer.com

51–60 of 436 posts

Re: Disabling Snaps in Ubuntu 20.04

#51
To ensure snap will not be installed again see the apt config here:

https://github.com/cies/kubuntu-setup#remove-snap

This is needed because an every growing number op packages is "dependant" on it.

Here I show how to install Chromium as a DEB package from Debian (on a buntu):

https://github.com/cies/kubuntu-setup/tree/master/chromium

Re: Disabling Snaps in Ubuntu 20.04

#52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've always liked OS X's concept of the Library folder, particularly back in Snow Leopard when it wasn't hidden by default. Applications need a place to save state, and you don't really want it to be hidden, because sometimes I as a user do need to change it manually for any number of obscure reasons. So you make a subfolder that's designated for apps to write to. There's no good way to put this into the existing Lin…

And the problem is gigantic, programs in general are completely broken - why does my entire system have to be compromised because I decided to play Catan. We need the iOS/Android model for permissions on desktop.

Thats one thing that snaps are trying to do. I personally prefer firejail for application sandboxing and permissions but then you have to be extra careful how you install the application (dpkg post-install scripts have been known to do sketchy things) and you have to make sure you never accidentally run the application without firejail.

Re: Disabling Snaps in Ubuntu 20.04

#53

I really like the idea of snaps. I really don't like a lot of the execution decisions around them. Snaps break debain's stable release model. They allow upstream to ship updates outside of the normal 6 month ubuntu releases. There are times when you might want this, but it should be opt in not mandatory. I thinking specifically of lxd which is only shipped via snaps. The snap store's trust model is confusing. Its har…

I don’t have any experience with snaps so this is all new to me. Snaps install software at a system level right? Why on earth would there be anything in a user home directory? What if you have multiple users? Does snap get confused?

Re: Disabling Snaps in Ubuntu 20.04

#55
In looking at some of the other entries about 20.04 on Mr. Custer’s site I’m wondering if it would’ve been simpler to just start with mini.iso to make an actual barebones installation and then install only what is actually desired. If you truly want a lean install then building your own custom mix is possible in Ubuntu and a relatively blank slate is available.

Re: Disabling Snaps in Ubuntu 20.04

#57

I installed keepassxc using a snap, but because it was in a snap browser integration didn't work with my browser because of the snap isolation, rendering it useless. Also it's kind of weird that hey Damon has to run just so that I can install snaps and one Daemon per snap, too. I'm pretty sure I don't like that.

Keepass as a snap because security right /s. This is an actual piece of software that has a history of being modded by attackers to steal credentials. Why would you put that in a snap?

Re: Disabling Snaps in Ubuntu 20.04

#58
post #20

It seems like on recent Ubuntu installations some packages are provided by snaps (ie. "apt install XXX" will install a snap). I'd be interested in disabling this behaviour, if anyone knows.

That would be really bad. I used Ubuntu for the past 15 years or so, but that would make me switch to a different distro. So shortly after the Mir fiasco, why does Canonical feel it necessary to come up with the next dumb idea?

Unfortunately, it seems like I remembered correctly, at least for Chromium: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22972856
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