De-Snapping and Firefox and TB without Snap?

[wonder]

In the past, in kubuntu 22.04 I used some instructions from this forum (below I indicate which ones) for snaping and later installing Firefox from deb rep.
In the course of this time, mozilla itself has indicated instructions for its own deb with preference over the official repository of our distributions (as long as snap is "out", in this case).

To date, I tested kubuntu 24.04, I detected some errors that now, in 24.04.01 I have seen that they are solved, or at least, I have seen how to solve them, so perhaps, I decide to install 24.04.01 (I am very good in 22.04.04... but the warning icon already appears...).

Well, without going into too much detail;

I understand that, using this link that was indicated for 22.04:
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/forum/...nap#post663901

Or using these instructions from this other link;
https://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php...-ubuntu-22-04/

It will be enough to de-snaping and install Firefox from our repos...

But in some tests I have done, I have installed Thunderbird from Synaptic and... it has installed it in Snap!

I don't have snap as default, so how do I set the source software as default and not snap?

I have seen on this other site how to install Thunderbird from the Mozilla repo:
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2024/08/...n-ubuntu-24-04

Is this going to happen with all programs or mainly with Mozilla ones?

If it is going to happen with all programs... I think about it very, very hard...

Thanks for reading this long post...

[jlittle]

IME installing from the Mozilla Team repos doesn't work well, as they can be too slow.

First, if you have a working firefox, set up firefox sync. If you have a working thunderbird, export your profile.

I suggest using Scwarzer Kater's script to de-snap script-to-get-rid-of-snap.

Then you can install them from the download pages, and they install to /opt. To install you have to be happy with following instructions in a terminal. With these you have to use the apps' own update mechanisms. I've found these to work well, and several orders of magnitude faster updating than using the Mozilla team's PPA.

However, the Mozilla thunderbird install instructions recommends the flatpak. I haven't tried that, but if you don't want to muck about in a terminal and have automatic updates, it would be the way to go for both firefox and thunderbird.

[wonder]

Let's take it one step at a time, as someone said in a movie... because I think that, despite using kubuntu since 16.04 (I think I remember) it's like I'm new to kubuntu, a total newbie...

IME installing from the Mozilla Team repos doesn't work well, as they can be too slow.

I don't care about speed, right now I have the ppa's from mozilla team and... it works fine, that's for sure, in 22.04...

First, if you have a working firefox, set up firefox sync. If you have a working thunderbird, export your profile.

This is what I don't like, now, if I change from kubuntu 22.04 to another distro (for example, debian or similar) I take my profile folder from firefox and TB, copy, paste in the other distro, and I have it exactly the same. That was one of the good things about it!!!

Does this mean I won't be able to do it?

I suggest using Scwarzer Kater's script to de-snap script-to-get-rid-of-snap.

Our friend Schwarzer has the same eyes in a program avatar... from years ago... Well, anecdotes aside;
This script completely overrides the entire snap environment, okay, it seems correct to me, but, what if I ever want (which I doubt) to use for example, Snap's Audacity or Kdenlive? I don't want to use it like that, I don't want snap on my system but....
I've seen that in the "cons" it says that discovery says that some things are missing if we run this script.

My idea was that, "block" FF, and TB from Snap and install it from ppa, either ubuntu or mozilla ppa, but ppa in deb.
As we have now in 2204 FF... but now adding TB...
Is this possible?

Then you can install them from the download pages, and they install to /opt. To install you have to be happy with following instructions in a terminal. With these you have to use the apps' own update mechanisms. I've found these to work well, and several orders of magnitude faster updating than using the Mozilla team's PPA.

If I install it "manually" from the page itself, which I already did with Firefox, it doesn't update, even if it says it has an update, you press and so on, it doesn't update... that's why I prefer to install from ppa (among other reasons).

However, the Mozilla thunderbird install instructions recommends the flatpak. I haven't tried that, but if you don't want to muck about in a terminal and have automatic updates, it would be the way to go for both firefox and thunderbird.

I've never tried it either, but I have the same question:
Do I have to disable snap first?
Does it generate a folder in the user folder with the Firefox and Thunderbird profiles with flaptak?
This is important to me, FF has my personal certificates and so on, TB has a lot of configurations that I don't want to lose.
And above all, if I move from one distribution to another, taking the folder and moving it to the other, that for me, is great...

If this is the path (x)ubuntu is taking... or is its future...

No wonder they don't update, for example Birdtray for TB and so on...

Again, thanks for reading my long message...

[claydoh]

Does this mean I won't be able to do it?

No, not at all. it is just often easier.

This script completely overrides the entire snap environment, okay, it seems correct to me, but, what if I ever want (which I doubt) to use for example, Snap's Audacity or Kdenlive? I don't want to use it like that, I don't want snap on my system but....
I've seen that in the "cons" it says that discovery says that some things are missing if we run this script.

That just is a button in Discoverer's setting to install Snap (or Flatpak) if not installed.

My idea was that, "block" FF, and TB from Snap and install it from ppa, either ubuntu or mozilla ppa, but ppa in deb.
As we have now in 2204 FF... but now adding TB...
Is this possible?

Thunderbird is available from the mozilla team PPA, ,or via that script.
The Dark Kitty's script actually installs the prebuilt binaries from Mozilla, not from any actual packages from a PPA, if that matters.

But all you really need is to add the mozilla PPA, and add an apt preferences file which puts its packages as a higher priority than the Ubuntu debs (which pull in the Snap) No need to remove or disable Snap at all.
There are a bazillion tutorials on replacing the snap and using the mozillateam PPA



But, to be honest, Mozilla's own external repo (not an Ubuntu PPA) is probably the preferred place to get FF/TB.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb...ns-recommended

The instructions do not touch Snaps at all, nor removes any existing snap. The apt pin file created will prevent the Ubuntu one from being installed, so if removed, the snap'd FF/TB shouldn't return.

[wonder]

Again, as the one from that famous movie said, let's take it one step at a time

First of all, thanks for your email, it has solved quite a few doubts, which were initially few, but for me, I see myself as a newbie in 2404, and I've been using it since 1604 or so (which isn't that much...).

No, not at all. it is just often easier.

Ok, this was related to my question:

This is what I don't like, now, if I change from kubuntu 22.04 to another distro (for example, debian or similar) I take my profile folder from firefox and TB, copy, paste in the other distro, and I have it exactly the same. That was one of the good things about it!!!

Does this mean I won't be able to do it?

Ok, it is just often easier, yes, but, what does that mean, the snap, flaptak or deb like what I've been doing all my life?

That just is a button in Discoverer's setting to install Snap (or Flatpak) if not installed.

Ok, it's clear to me... now I know what you mean, it's a small, unimportant detail...

Thunderbird is available from the Mozilla team PPA, or via that script.
The Dark Kitty's script actually installs the prebuilt binaries from Mozilla, not from any actual packages from a PPA, if that matters.

I didn't know that the script also installed that, but I think we're talking about different scripts. I've seen the one from Scwarzer Kater and you mention the one from Dark Kitty, anyway, I'll answer that below.

But all you really need is to add the mozilla PPA, and add an apt preferences file which puts its packages as a higher priority than the Ubuntu debs (which pull in the Snap) No need to remove or disable Snap at all.
There are a bazillion tutorials on replacing the snap and using the mozillateam PPA

That's exactly how I have it on 2204 (although snap was disabled on startup, but from what I've read, that's exactly how it is, you don't need to uninstall anything, and the mozillateam PPAs are added.

But, to be honest, Mozilla's own external repo (not an Ubuntu PPA) is probably the preferred place to get FF/TB.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb...ns-recommended

The instructions do not touch Snaps at all, nor removes any existing snap. The apt pin file created will prevent the Ubuntu one from being installed, so if removed, the snap'd FF/TB shouldn't return.

I think the same, mozilla repo, not an ubuntu ppa, for me, is preferable.
I've seen instructions on This does not remove snap (it only removes the default version that comes installed) and the apt pin file create will prevent the ubuntu one from being installed, only from ppa mozilla team.

I may venture to take the step from 2204 to 2404 this afternoon, but I will save a snapshot of my current 2204, just in case...

[claydoh]

I didn't know that the script also installed that, but I think we're talking about different scripts. I've seen the one from Scwarzer Kater and you mention the one from Dark Kitty, anyway, I'll answer that below

Schwarzer Kater ....... Black Kitty.

His script used to use the Mozilla team PPA. It uses the binaries now.

[wonder]

Schwarzer Kater ....... Black Kitty.

His script used to use the Mozilla team PPA. It uses the binaries now.

hahaha, so yes, Black Kitty is who I thought, hehehe.

Perfect, so your script, apart from getting rid of Snap, used to use the Mozilla team PPA. It uses the binaries now.
I understand now...ok, very grateful for the explanation...

As said before, I almost prefer to use the Mozilla Team PPA for both FF and TB...

By the way, I still have this doubt that you indicated:

No, not at all. it is just often easier.

It was about copy/pasting the FF or TB profile folder and moving it from distro, that for me is the fastest and easiest method, any other that I have missed or another way?

[vanadiumboy]

If I install it "manually" from the page itself, which I already did with Firefox, it doesn't update, even if it says it has an update, you press and so on, it doesn't update... that's why I prefer to install from ppa (among other reasons).

I have followed the steps from
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2022/04/...t-ubuntu-22-04

for a few years now. The link above is for Firefox and the link that you gave for TB has similar steps.

Did I misunderstand you? Are you trying to update Firefox from the menu Firefox?

The update to Firefox DEB (the one from Mozilla PPA) will show up in Discover along with all the other updates pushed by Canonical.
In other words, you get the updates for Firefox, you no longer worry about Firefox snap version.
I have been doing this for 2 y now.
I have only updated to Kubuntu 24.04 and I imagine things will just continue to work. In my case, it installed Firefox snap so I redid the steps.
I am back on Firefox DEB (the one from Mozilla PPA).

I've never tried it either, but I have the same question:
Do I have to disable snap first?
Does it generate a folder in the user folder with the Firefox and Thunderbird profiles with flaptak?
This is important to me, FF has my personal certificates and so on, TB has a lot of configurations that I don't want to lose.
And above all, if I move from one distribution to another, taking the folder and moving it to the other, that for me, is great...

If this is the path (x)ubuntu is taking... or is its future...

No wonder they don't update, for example Birdtray for TB and so on...

Again, thanks for reading my long message...

Nope. I leave snap installed on my PC. Other apps are snap based. For example, PowerISO.
For the flatpak versions, I don't know.
Do you want me to test something?

[wonder]

I have followed the steps from
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2022/04/...t-ubuntu-22-04

for a few years now. The link above is for Firefox and the link that you gave for TB has similar steps.

Did I misunderstand you? Are you trying to update Firefox from the menu Firefox?

The update to Firefox DEB (the one from Mozilla PPA) will show up in Discover along with all the other updates pushed by Canonical.
In other words, you get the updates for Firefox, you no longer worry about Firefox snap version.
I have been doing this for 2 y now.
I have only updated to Kubuntu 24.04 and I imagine things will just continue to work. In my case, it installed Firefox snap so I redid the steps.
I am back on Firefox DEB (the one from Mozilla PPA).

Yes, sorry, my English is very bad... I have indeed followed those steps (from another link but they are the same) and without any problem updating and so on. I was referring to the installation of the binaries directly in /opt, in another distro, before Mozilla itself launched its repo, it was indicated to do so, and even if I installed FF in the user folder or in /opt, when I had an update it was not updated, neither via discovery (obviously) nor via the update menu of FF itself. As you rightly say, I did it like this in FF in 22.04 and I did it today for 24.04. Also for TB, it has very similar instructions, using the Mozilla Team repo for TB, it's the most "official" one I've seen...

Nope. I leave snap installed on my PC. Other apps are snap based. For example, PowerISO.
For the flatpak versions, I don't know.
Do you want me to test something?

I appreciate it but in this case I should try it myself, I haven't used anything from flaptak, snap yes, but flaptak never... In my case I proceeded the same, I haven't uninstalled snap, I block FF and TB updates and these are installed from official ppa's for that. Thanks.