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I'm unclear why ubuntu needs the chromium package in apt. Seems like they should just stop publishing apt packages for chromium, only publish in snap, and stee

by jwlake 6y ago

I'm unclear why ubuntu needs the chromium package in apt. Seems like they should just stop publishing apt packages for chromium, only publish in snap, and steer users into using snap for installs and not apt. Seems less confusing and wins or loses on its merit.

berkes 6y ago
On latest LTS (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS) the apt version is simply a transitional package. It installs the snap for you. It says so on the description directly next to the name: "Transitional package - chromium-browser -> chromium snap" There only for people upgrading, so they are not suddenly surprised seeing their browser gone.
- jwlake 6y ago
  Just seems like an unintended consequences confusing situation. I think a pretty rational policy would to _never_ have an apt package install a snap package. Moving to snap is a breaking change, effectively, so you have to bite the bullet at some point. Mixing your distribution systems with references to each other seems like a recipe for confusion and anger. And it looks like they got the expected outcome.
  - rlpb 6y ago
    I believe the reasoning is that Ubuntu users do not care about the technical mechanism used to ship the software that comes with Ubuntu. I mean: clearly some people do care, given that that this thread exists. I think you'll find that they aren't your typical Ubuntu user though. Users who do care are quite capable of adjusting their configuration, and Ubuntu doesn't get in the way of that (configure apt not to install snapd ever, and it won't). This is only an issue for users who want to push their political opinions on to other Ubuntu users.
  - berkes 6y ago
    > seems like a recipe for confusion and anger. People where "suddenly Chrome is gone" will be angry too. Just imagine the outrage of a title like "The update to Catalina wiped all mac users' browsers with all their bookmarks and history. Forever". And those are the people that cannot easily solve it. The person being able to know what a "Transitional package" or the difference between snap and apt is, is also the person who knows how (to google for) to move the old ~/.config/chrome/ directory into the snap. This is also the person being enraged that Ubuntu offers a mechanism for all the people who cannot do that themselves. That sounds quite selfish to me.
  - yxhuvud 6y ago
    Then people get stuck on old insecure versions of chromium. Or it simply disappears. Do you really think that doesn't create confusion and anger?
    - berkes 6y ago
      > Or it simply disappears. Worse. Because when you then search the "software store", and install chromium, all your bookmarks, history, forms and other state is lost. At least the "apt package" migrates that for users.
simosx 6y ago
Chromium is very complicated in terms of packaging, and packaging it as a deb package is too tough. Because when a new version appears, you need to do lots of work to get it updated quickly. For Ubuntu 20.04, it has been explained (in 2019!) that Chromium will be only available as a snap package. To help users transition, the command `sudo apt install chromium-browser` would install the snap package. It is better than "package not found". It is so simple, but if you are stuck in a negative sentiment on snaps (read this thread), you get crazy.

by jwlake 6y ago

berkes 6y ago

On latest LTS (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS) the apt version is simply a transitional package. It installs the snap for you. It says so on the description directly next to the name: "Transitional package - chromium-browser -> chromium snap" There only for people upgrading, so they are not suddenly surprised seeing their browser gone.

jwlake 6y ago
Just seems like an unintended consequences confusing situation. I think a pretty rational policy would to _never_ have an apt package install a snap package. Moving to snap is a breaking change, effectively, so you have to bite the bullet at some point. Mixing your distribution systems with references to each other seems like a recipe for confusion and anger. And it looks like they got the expected outcome.
- rlpb 6y ago
  I believe the reasoning is that Ubuntu users do not care about the technical mechanism used to ship the software that comes with Ubuntu. I mean: clearly some people do care, given that that this thread exists. I think you'll find that they aren't your typical Ubuntu user though. Users who do care are quite capable of adjusting their configuration, and Ubuntu doesn't get in the way of that (configure apt not to install snapd ever, and it won't). This is only an issue for users who want to push their political opinions on to other Ubuntu users.
- berkes 6y ago
  > seems like a recipe for confusion and anger. People where "suddenly Chrome is gone" will be angry too. Just imagine the outrage of a title like "The update to Catalina wiped all mac users' browsers with all their bookmarks and history. Forever". And those are the people that cannot easily solve it. The person being able to know what a "Transitional package" or the difference between snap and apt is, is also the person who knows how (to google for) to move the old ~/.config/chrome/ directory into the snap. This is also the person being enraged that Ubuntu offers a mechanism for all the people who cannot do that themselves. That sounds quite selfish to me.
- yxhuvud 6y ago
  Then people get stuck on old insecure versions of chromium. Or it simply disappears. Do you really think that doesn't create confusion and anger?
  - berkes 6y ago
    > Or it simply disappears. Worse. Because when you then search the "software store", and install chromium, all your bookmarks, history, forms and other state is lost. At least the "apt package" migrates that for users.

simosx 6y ago

Chromium is very complicated in terms of packaging, and packaging it as a deb package is too tough. Because when a new version appears, you need to do lots of work to get it updated quickly. For Ubuntu 20.04, it has been explained (in 2019!) that Chromium will be only available as a snap package. To help users transition, the command `sudo apt install chromium-browser` would install the snap package. It is better than "package not found". It is so simple, but if you are stuck in a negative sentiment on snaps (read this thread), you get crazy.