How to install Firefox without snap on Ubuntu 23.10

Fri Jan 12 18:59:17 UTC 2024

On Fri, Jan 12, 2024 at 1:40 PM Mario Marietto <marietto2008 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hello.
>
> I performed a new installation of Ubuntu 23.10 and a certain point I wanted install Firefox without snap and I followed the following steps :
>
>
> Step 1: Run this command to remove the Firefox Snap:
>
>
> sudo snap remove firefox
>
>
> Step 2: Run this command to add the Mozilla Team PPA to your list of software sources:
>
>
> sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/ppa
>
>
> Step 3: Chance the Firefox package priority to ensure the PPA/deb/apt version of Firefox is always preferred. To do this, copy and paste this whole code (not line by line):
>
>
> echo '
> Package: *
> Pin: release o=LP-PPA-mozillateam
> Pin-Priority: 1001
> ' | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/mozilla-firefox
>
> Step 4: If you want future Firefox upgrades to be installed automatically,do this:
>
>
> echo 'Unattended-Upgrade::Allowed-Origins:: "LP-PPA-mozillateam:${distro_codename}";' | sudo tee /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/51unattended-upgrades-firefox
>
>
> Step 5: Finally, install the Firefox deb using apt:
>
>
> sudo apt install firefox
>
>
> And I realized that this procedure won't work anymore on Ubuntu 23.10,as you can see below :
>
>
> mario at marietto:/etc/apt# sudo apt install firefox
>
> Reading package lists... Done
> Building dependency tree... Done
> Reading state information... Done
> The following additional packages will be installed:
>  apparmor fuse3 libcbor0.8 libfido2-1 libfuse3-3 liblzo2-2 libxmuu1 openssh-client snapd
>  squashfs-tools xauth
> Suggested packages:
>  apparmor-profiles-extra apparmor-utils keychain libpam-ssh monkeysphere ssh-askpass zenity
>  | kdialog
> The following NEW packages will be installed:
>  apparmor firefox fuse3 libcbor0.8 libfido2-1 libfuse3-3 liblzo2-2 libxmuu1 openssh-client snapd
>  squashfs-tools xauth
> 0 upgraded, 12 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
> Need to get 29.4 MB of archives.
> After this operation, 119 MB of additional disk space will be used.
> Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
>
> apparmor libcbor0.8 libfido2-1 openssh-client liblzo2-2 squashfs-tools libfuse3-3 snapd firefox fuse3 libxmuu1 xauth
>
> Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic/main amd64 apparmor amd64 4.0.0~alpha2-0ubuntu5 [622 kB]
> Get:2 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic-security/main amd64 openssh-client amd64 1:9.3p1-1ubuntu3.2 [910 kB]
> Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic/main amd64 libcbor0.8 amd64 0.8.0-2ubuntu1 [24.6 kB]
> Get:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic/main amd64 libfido2-1 amd64 1.13.0-1 [84.8 kB]
> Get:5 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic/main amd64 liblzo2-2 amd64 2.10-2build3 [53.7 kB]
> Get:6 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic/main amd64 squashfs-tools amd64 1:4.6.1-1 [188 kB]
> Get:7 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic/main amd64 libfuse3-3 amd64 3.14.0-4 [82.5 kB]
> Get:8 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic-updates/main amd64 snapd amd64 2.60.4+23.10.1 [27.3 MB]
> Get:9 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic/main amd64 firefox amd64 1:1snap1-0ubuntu3 [71.9 kB]
> Get:10 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic/main amd64 fuse3 amd64 3.14.0-4 [25.1 kB]
> Get:11 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic/main amd64 libxmuu1 amd64 2:1.1.3-3 [10.2 kB]
> Get:12 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu mantic/main amd64 xauth amd64 1:1.1.2-1 [25.8 kB]
> Fetched 29.4 MB in 5s (6160 kB/s)
> Preconfiguring packages ...
> Selecting previously unselected package apparmor.
> (Reading database ... 16849 files and directories currently installed.)
> Preparing to unpack .../0-apparmor_4.0.0~alpha2-0ubuntu5_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking apparmor (4.0.0~alpha2-0ubuntu5) ...
> Selecting previously unselected package libcbor0.8:amd64.
> Preparing to unpack .../1-libcbor0.8_0.8.0-2ubuntu1_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking libcbor0.8:amd64 (0.8.0-2ubuntu1) ...
> Selecting previously unselected package libfido2-1:amd64.
> Preparing to unpack .../2-libfido2-1_1.13.0-1_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking libfido2-1:amd64 (1.13.0-1) ...
> Selecting previously unselected package openssh-client.
> Preparing to unpack .../3-openssh-client_1%3a9.3p1-1ubuntu3.2_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking openssh-client (1:9.3p1-1ubuntu3.2) ...
> Selecting previously unselected package liblzo2-2:amd64.
> Preparing to unpack .../4-liblzo2-2_2.10-2build3_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking liblzo2-2:amd64 (2.10-2build3) ...
> Selecting previously unselected package squashfs-tools.
> Preparing to unpack .../5-squashfs-tools_1%3a4.6.1-1_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking squashfs-tools (1:4.6.1-1) ...
> Selecting previously unselected package libfuse3-3:amd64.
> Preparing to unpack .../6-libfuse3-3_3.14.0-4_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking libfuse3-3:amd64 (3.14.0-4) ...
> Selecting previously unselected package snapd.
> Preparing to unpack .../7-snapd_2.60.4+23.10.1_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking snapd (2.60.4+23.10.1) ...
> Setting up apparmor (4.0.0~alpha2-0ubuntu5) ...
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/sysinit.target.wants/apparmor.service → /lib/systemd/system/apparmor.service.
> Setting up libcbor0.8:amd64 (0.8.0-2ubuntu1) ...
> Setting up libfido2-1:amd64 (1.13.0-1) ...
> Setting up openssh-client (1:9.3p1-1ubuntu3.2) ...
> Setting up liblzo2-2:amd64 (2.10-2build3) ...
> Setting up squashfs-tools (1:4.6.1-1) ...
> Setting up libfuse3-3:amd64 (3.14.0-4) ...
> Setting up snapd (2.60.4+23.10.1) ...
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/snapd.aa-prompt-listener.service → /lib/systemd/system/snapd.aa-prompt-listener.service.
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/snapd.apparmor.service → /lib/systemd/system/snapd.apparmor.service.
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/snapd.autoimport.service → /lib/systemd/
> system/snapd.autoimport.service.
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/snapd.core-fixup.service → /lib/systemd/
> system/snapd.core-fixup.service.
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/snapd.recovery-chooser-trigger.service →
> /lib/systemd/system/snapd.recovery-chooser-trigger.service.
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/snapd.seeded.service → /lib/systemd/system/snapd.seeded.service.
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/cloud-final.service.wants/snapd.seeded.service → /lib/systemd/system/snapd.seeded.service.
> Unit /lib/systemd/system/snapd.seeded.service is added as a dependency to a non-existent unit cloud-final.service.
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/snapd.service → /lib/systemd/system/snapd.service.
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/timers.target.wants/snapd.snap-repair.timer → /lib/systemd/system/snapd.snap-repair.timer.
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/sockets.target.wants/snapd.socket → /lib/systemd/system/snapd.socket.
> Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/final.target.wants/snapd.system-shutdown.service → /lib/systemd/system/snapd.system-shutdown.service.
> Selecting previously unselected package firefox.
> (Reading database ... 17300 files and directories currently installed.)
> Preparing to unpack .../firefox_1%3a1snap1-0ubuntu3_amd64.deb ...
> => Installing the firefox snap
> ==> Checking connectivity with the snap store
> ===> System doesn't have a working snapd, skipping
> Unpacking firefox (1:1snap1-0ubuntu3) ...
> Selecting previously unselected package fuse3.
> Preparing to unpack .../fuse3_3.14.0-4_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking fuse3 (3.14.0-4) ...
> Selecting previously unselected package libxmuu1:amd64.
> Preparing to unpack .../libxmuu1_2%3a1.1.3-3_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking libxmuu1:amd64 (2:1.1.3-3) ...
> Selecting previously unselected package xauth.
> Preparing to unpack .../xauth_1%3a1.1.2-1_amd64.deb ...
> Unpacking xauth (1:1.1.2-1) ...
> Setting up firefox (1:1snap1-0ubuntu3) ...
> update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/firefox to provide /usr/bin/gnome-www-browser (gnome-www-browser) in auto mode
> update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/firefox to provide /usr/bin/x-www-browser (x-www-browser) in auto mode
> Setting up fuse3 (3.14.0-4) ...
> Setting up libxmuu1:amd64 (2:1.1.3-3) ...
> Setting up xauth (1:1.1.2-1) ...
> Processing triggers for dbus (1.14.10-1ubuntu1) ...
> Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.38-1ubuntu6) ...
>
> mario at marietto:/etc/apt# firefox
>
> Command '/bin/firefox' requires the firefox snap to be installed.
> Please install it with: snap install firefox
>
> It's clear that it does not work anymore. What should I do to install firefox without snap ? thanks.

I would probably disable Ubuntu's version of firefox, too. Otherwise
Apt tries to use it anyways. Or that's been my experience.

Here's what my preferences look like on Ubuntu 22.04:

$ cat /etc/apt/preferences.d/firefox.pref
Package: firefox*
Pin: release o=LP-PPA-mozillateam
Pin-Priority: 501

Package: firefox-esr-*
Pin: release o=Ubuntu
Pin-Priority: -1

And I also have this to sidestep Snap:

$ cat /etc/apt/preferences.d/no-snap.pref
Package: snapd
Pin: release *
Pin-Priority: -1

Jeff