What use to be the PPA that allowed Ubuntu users to use native .deb packages for Firefox has recently changed to the same meta package that forces installation of Snap and the Firefox snap package.
I am having to remove the meta package, then re-uninstall the snap firefox, then re-uninstall Snap, then install pin the latest build I could get (firefox_116.0.3+build2-0ubuntu0.22.04.1~mt1_arm64.deb) to keep the native firefox build.
I’m so done with Ubuntu.
Payment? What for?
For easily supporting developers of the apps.
For giving us more things migrating away from native packages? No thanks.
Oh wow. We should NOT let Flatpak have payment options. So the corporates will flock to Canonical’s Snap and we will all be forced to use it just to be able to use proprietary apps we need for work/school. Shooting ourselves in the foot is the nature of Linux users. 🐧
Donation options, sure. Pay for play, no.
The year of the Linux desktop will only come if supporting Linux becomes profitable. For that, companies need ways to make their software paid. Even though Flatpak is better than Snaps, they will flock on Snaps because that’s where they can make profits.
Therefore for the sake of everyone, Flatpak must support paid apps before Canonical takes over everything.
For proprietary, non-free software I’d much prefer them to be sandboxed in Flatpak, thank you very much. So yeah, let Flatpak integrate payments!
For open source keystone applications, like my browser or my text editor, please let me have an unsandboxed native package.
As long as it is a voluntary donation. Payment only can jump in a lake. I’m ok with donating to a project I really like, but if it’s a paywall, hell no.
I guess Linux users just don’t like to pay is true?
I buy software all the time. I refuse to be bullied into it, however. If it’s good, purchase.
I think desktop will go towards immutable, and flatpak will be saving grace for it…
Native package still the king, but when the immutable desktop become standard, then the only option is using new sandboxed app runner like flatpak, or native package change it’s building strategy.
There are rpm-ostree, but immutable desktop focus on stability, and with flatpak, it will offer the best experience.
For buying or donating (maybe even subscriptions). Both open source and proprietary software. They’re working on it.
Funding non native packaging to absolve distros of their job is not something I would donate to.
I think you’re misunderstanding what the claim here is. The payments are not necessary for Flathub and flatpak (though they take a cut), it’s revenue for developers. Revenue they would have never seen if their app is packaged in distro repos like normal. Implementing payment systems in the native package format is basically impossible which is why no one ever did it. Flathub is giving app developers (whose job is oftentimes thankless) a chance to receive easier funding or even a livelihood. All around a good thing.
Then you aren’t the audience I guess.