The Linux Mint distribution team put out another of their monthly updates, and this month was quite interesting.
In the past the Linux Mint team had been quite vocal about Snaps, the next-generation Linux packaging system backed by Ubuntu maker Canonical. Like Flatpak, they're trying to redefine how Linux users install packages. The main issue here it seems (from what they said) is that Snaps are more locked-down. They compared Snaps to using proprietary software as you "can't audit them, hold them, modify them or even point snap to a different store", it pushes Ubuntu directly and Snaps are done in the background.
Mint's founder Clément Lefèbvre has said that with Linux Mint 20, they will push back firmly against Snaps. Currently in Ubuntu, which Mint builds off, Chromium is an empty package which installs a Snap (info) so the Mint team will ensure it tells you why and how to go and get Chromium yourself. Additionally, by default APT on Mint will not let snapd get installed but you will be able to do so manually.
NVIDIA users rejoice! NVIDIA Optimus is to get better Mint support, with their included applet being able to show your GPU and select what card to use from the menu.
Optimus support goes further though, as they will also now fully support the “On-Demand” profile too in the MATE and Cinnamon desktops directly. You will be able to get a menu option to run something with the more powerful NVIDIA GPU. Like we've seen GNOME be able to do with the 3.36 release:
As for theme changes, the additions and tweaks to colours they previously announced will not happen due to a fair amount of negative feedback. They're not stopping though, instead they will seek feedback about each colour option individually during the Beta period of Linux Mint 20.
See the Linux Mint monthly update here. Their attention to the small details are always nice to see.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: t3gHey Linux Mint.... 2010 called and they want their UI back.To be honest, I don't really care what year a UI comes from, I'm more interested in whether it works.
I tend to like furniture made of real wood over self-consciously modern uncomfortable chrome-y crap too.
Quoting: tuubiAnd if you want to convince them that snaps are a good thing
For the record, I have no intention of doing that. I don't use snaps myself, and I'll happily tell people how to avoid using them. I've done so, in fact, on this site.
Containerised applications, in general, serve a purpose, just as distros serve a purpose, but I don't really care about which containers or distros people choose to use, or not use.
What I do care about, though, is people wasting our time and energy on cannibalism, which harms our chances of achieving our objectives as Linux gamers. There's plenty of reality-based discussion to be had about the challenges we face as a community. We don't need to make up more.
As a concrete example, Phoronix has some useful stuff, but you can't send people there in case they accidentally read the comments. I don't want gamingonlinux to be like Phoronix. I'd rather Phoronix wasn't like Phoronix, too.
Last edited by CatKiller on 4 June 2020 at 12:20 am UTC
If you like Snaps, utilize them. If you don't like Snaps, don't use them. That's it. There is no more. One's reason for or against are valid to each individual. No one gets to decide what works or doesn't work for another.
Quoting: CatKillerWhat I do care about, though, is people wasting our time and energy on cannibalism, which harms our chances of achieving our objectives as Linux gamers. There's plenty of reality-based discussion to be had about the challenges we face as a community. We don't need to make up more.Hey, what did you expect from a bunch of Linux enthusiasts? Of course we've all got our priorities, but you'll always see a backlash when a company does something that can in any conceivable way be seen as against the spirit of software freedom. Any signs of vendor lockdown will not go down smoothly.
It would be nice if there was less knee-jerk involved, but that's the nature of conversations on the Internet. Of course, I don't think Linux is at a particular disadvantage here. People argue about software choices regardless of platform.
Also, what was that about wasting time? Isn't this a gaming website? :D
Quoting: CatKillerAs a concrete example, Phoronix has some useful stuff, but you can't send people there in case they accidentally read the comments. I don't want gamingonlinux to be like Phoronix. I'd rather Phoronix wasn't like Phoronix, too.Phoronix comment threads tend to quickly descend into crap slinging matches. It's just not worth wading through the festering muck for the rare pearl.
Last edited by tuubi on 4 June 2020 at 8:03 am UTC
Quoting: TuxeeReally? Showing an image of a flatpak package to prove the bloatedness of a snap? Really? (Besides I can't find a XNView snap to see whether this is different.)Maybe read what I posted then, instead of barking up wrong trees. With bloat I always talked about the hilariously ill-named flatpaks. I have never used Snaps and don't intend to, so have no idea if these are bloated too or if the downsides are more about the Canonical lock-in.
Ah yes. Another sinister conspiracy...
Quoting: PangaeaQuoting: TuxeeReally? Showing an image of a flatpak package to prove the bloatedness of a snap? Really? (Besides I can't find a XNView snap to see whether this is different.)Maybe read what I posted then, instead of barking up wrong trees. With bloat I always talked about the hilariously ill-named flatpaks. I have never used Snaps and don't intend to, so have no idea if these are bloated too or if the downsides are more about the Canonical lock-in.
Sorry. Yes you were mentioning flatpaks. (From my experience snaps are not exactly bloated.)
Quoting: CatKillerQuoting: NanobangNONE of the snaps I've installed can even see my data partition exists, let alone access it.
https://snapcraft.io/docs/removable-media-interface
Thanks for the link, though a little explanation of why you were sharing it would have been much appreciated at my end.
Is `removable-media` something that can be set up by whoever is building the app? I seem to remember something like this being announced awhile ago, and I was actually quite excited when I heard about it. Unfortunately, none of the apps I tried after that had been built with this feature turned on or something, because, as I said, they didn't see my partition.
If this is the case, then the problem reflects less the short-comings of Snaps as the shortsightedness of the builders putting the snaps together ... but the result is the same, and it simply isn't a problem I've had with Flatpak or Appimages --- for whatever reason.
If, on the other hand, `removable-media` is a setting that I could turn on at as a user, then that's something else entirely; though, I don't infer this is the case from the minimal discussion at the page you linked.
Quoting: NanobangThanks for the link, though a little explanation of why you were sharing it would have been much appreciated at my end.
Snaps are sandboxed; they can only access resources outside the sandbox through a connected interface. The interface that controls file access outside the home directory is that removable-media one, which allows access to the directories listed on that page.
I think that the snap side of the interface has to be enabled by the snap maintainer, but the user side of the interface needs to be enabled by the user. I understand from what people have said elsewhere that you can enable the connection through the snap store, but I've never tried it, as well as creating the connection with the snap command, which I also haven't tried.
The link was to show you both the existence of the restriction and the existence of the mechanism for creating the connection.
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