Score:13

Is it possible to avoid Firefox as Snap installation and keep deb-version on Ubuntu 21.10 flavor?

zw flag

I have just installed fresh Ubuntu MATE 21.10 system.

Then I ran update-manager manually to check and get some new updates.

It showed a surprise for me - it will remove Firefox deb-package as shown on below screenshot to replace it with Snap:

Details of updates

  • Install or remove
    • Duplicate packages to be removed
      • Firefox Web Browser

update-manager is going to remove deb-package of Firefox

This is not acceptable for me, I want to use normal deb-package of Firefox.


Note: actually the result does not depend on online or offline installation, the first launch of update-manager will try to remove the Firefox deb-package.

guiverc avatar
cn flag
Bill/franksmcb asked a question (irc) about this earlier on (friday probably) given 'reports' of this behavior and we (lubuntu) couldn't re-create this.... Your answer implies to me it'd impact us (lubuntu) too, but I've seen no reports of it, and haven't replicated it either (*I can't recall if my install(s) was made off-line or online with some of each, but haven't replicated the issue & I know at least one was off-line install*)
N0rbert avatar
zw flag
@guiverc I know, just repeated the same scenario on offline installation Xubuntu, got the same result. Lubuntu does not ship update-manager, so is not affected.
guiverc avatar
cn flag
Thanks - I suspected as such (I just `apt install update-manager` to test that theory); you beat me running it - Thanks !
guiverc avatar
cn flag
`update-manager` does the same thing on Lubuntu too (*as you'd no doubt already know*).. I watched it report it's removing the `firefox` *deb* package & I'm bored waiting for it to install the snap... I'm going to bed..
vanadium avatar
cn flag
Does an offline fresh installation of Mate 21.10 *not* install a snap version of Firefox by default?
N0rbert avatar
zw flag
No, it does not, @vanadium.
guiverc avatar
cn flag
This will be fixed when `update-manager` is updated to `1.21.10.5`; it's currently sitting in proposed & on another QA-test install I repeated the testing in my prior comment(s) & running `update-manager` no longer causes `firefox` to switch from *deb* package to *snap*.
Score:12
zw flag

Update 20220203 - the bug 1947501 is fixed since 20211103.

So all you need is to run the below commands:

sudo snap remove firefox
sudo apt-get install --reinstall firefox

If you need historic information - check previous revisions of this answer. But keep in mind that running sudo apt-mark manual firefox may be still needed if you install Ubuntu 21.10 flavor using offline installation.

heynnema avatar
ru flag
Thanks for this info. I just did my first 21.04 to 21.10 **upgrade** and it **still** uninstalled my .deb version and installed a snap version. I didn't expect that on an upgrade. Firefox as a snap launches very slowly, and doesn't use the proper theme. I already switched back to the .deb version, and I wasn't aware that it would switch it back. Sigh. I'll use your fix. +1. Thanks!
heynnema avatar
ru flag
I just checked, and on my primary computer, which is running 21.04, it looks like they've removed the .deb version of Firefox from the Ubuntu Software store. It also looks like mozilla.org doesn't have a .deb file to download either.
N0rbert avatar
zw flag
Currently Firefox deb still sits in *main* - see https://packages.ubuntu.com/impish/firefox .
br flag
in Kubuntu 22.04 apt re-installs the snap version, install from PPA is not accepted, I had to install deb manually.
us flag
wonderful - it worked great for me (ubuntu 21.10). e.g. https://extensions.gnome.org/ doesnt work(if you want install an extension from the page, to see what extensions you have installedm ...) under snap
Score:-3
N0rbert avatar
zw flag
This is not needed, Firefox is in the [main](https://packages.ubuntu.com/impish/firefox). Moreover the mentioned PPA does not [have packages for impish](https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-mozilla-security/+archive/ubuntu/ppa/+packages?field.name_filter=firefox&field.status_filter=published&field.series_filter=). You may consider to remove the answer.
ua flag
@N0rbert The PPA now has Impish packages. https://launchpad.net/%7Eubuntu-mozilla-security/+archive/ubuntu/ppa?field.series_filter=impish
br flag
In 22.04 (Kubuntu) adding this PPa is not possible automatically (the system refuses to update from it)
cn flag
The PPA's description says "Unless you are testing updates, you should NOT install packages from this PPA", though ;)
fixitmanarizona avatar
uz flag
N0rbert, Firefox in main for 22.04 installs the snap version if you don't have snaps blocked. If you do have snaps blocked it won't install. So an alternative is needed, such as installing from .deb (*from mozilla team) or building from mozilla.org (*tar file) or Flatpak (has its own problems.)
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