Ubuntu installers?

[Owen Thomas]

On Fri, 6 Jan 2023 at 22:33, Liam Proven <lproven at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Fri, 6 Jan 2023 at 01:13, Owen Thomas <owen.paul.thomas at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Ooph... If that were true, then that's one more than there needs to be
> by my estimate, and that's bewildering.
>
> No.
>
> They are different tools for different jobs.
>
> Snap is a cross-distro packaging tool.
>
> Apt is for 1 specific distro.
>
> I described what Snap is for a few weeks ago. The thread was titled
> "Snap and modern software (was: Remove /snap directory)"
>
> Snaps run on anything with Snap support. Ubuntu maintains 1 snap of
> Firefox and it runs on about 4-5 different versions of Ubuntu: the
> same snap works all currently-supported LTS versions and on all live
> short-term versions too.
>
> It can also, if you want, run on Fedora or Debian or openSUSE or whatever.
>
> Over simplified:
>
> [1] Apt is a tool for handling .DEB format packages. Ubuntu builds the
> .DEBs -- they are the bricks.
>
> [2] Then it builds versions of Ubuntu from those bricks. A given .DEB
> only works on that specific version of Ubuntu. You can't install a
> 22.10 .DEB on 22.04.
>
> [3] There is now a newer level: Snaps. Snaps are built from .DEBs but
> one Snap can run on 18.04, and 20.04, and 22.04, and on 22.10.
>
> [4] Snaps can also run on other different distros that don't use .DEB
> format at all.
>
> As an aside:
>
> [5] There is also a version of Ubuntu built entirely from Snaps:
> Ubuntu Core. It's for embedded devices, like digital signs. It only
> works with Snaps. This is why Snap has the edge over Red Hat's
> competing Flatpak format: you can't build a distro from Flatpaks: they
> only work for GUI desktop apps.
>
>
> > Still: snap, rpm, deb, yum, etc... This is not encouragement.
>
> You are conflating tools from different distros.
>
> Yum has been replaced with DNF. DNF works with RPMs. Both are Red Hat
> tools.
>
> Apt works with .DEB. Both are Debian/Ubuntu tools.
>
> You can compare Apt to Dnf if you want, sure, but they are rival tech
> from rival companies.
>

Thanks, but I include myself among the people who just want to get their
hardware to do the things they want it to do. Fiddling with software
installation stuff is a distraction for us, and while all things Ubuntu
seems to be your cup of tea, it isn't everyone's, and it isn't mine. That's
the general and unwritten gist I tried to convey when I posted the original
message.

I do like Ubuntu because it is free. I don't like Ubuntu because I am
sometimes pulled into the distracting minutiae of its functioning. I am
conflicted you see; shed a tear for me perhaps.


> > Once software is installed, one appears to have to recall the package
> manager that was used if one wants to uninstall it later. That thought
> induces nausea too.
>
> No, because:
>

 ... yes ... because that's the way I happen to be...


> > And what type of beast is the Ubuntu Software Centre?
>
> It's the answer to your previous question.
>
> You don't use the CLI. You use this nice friendly software store. Then
> you don't need to remember.
>

Indeed. I would rather use what little faculty of memory I appear to have
for other things. Such is life.


>
> > Why does searching through it regularly appear never to end?
>
> Works for me.
>
> > Can't something be done about this?
>
> It's just you.
>

I want to leave it here, but there is opportunity that begs the question:
Why would it just be me?


>
> > This is called a winge. Perhaps airing my winges will be a productive
> exercise for if I don't, then how do I know these winges have been aired?
>
> Where I come from there is an "h" in "whinge".
>

I omit the h, because where I come from, h's can indeed be omitted.


>
> That's about all I have to say to that, though. Sorry.
>
> > I value your ability to wade through the tedium so I don't have to. You
> have my blessing and are doing a good job; please continue.
>
> Thanks!
>

Have a great day.
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