It is clear that in recent years Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, has been making efforts to popularize its package format, Snap.
Recently a Launchpad user proposed an idea, in which supposedly Mark Shuttleworth, creator of Ubuntu, “seemed to approve”.
New packaging formats are gaining more and more space in the Linux world, the idea of making the system separate from its applications, and ensuring package updates without the risk of breaking the system, has attracted many users, in addition to the convenience of not worry about dependency errors.
In the current scenario 3 alternatives are on the rise, Flatpak, Snap and AppImage, there is no metric to know which is the most adopted format, remaining only in the field of speculation and observation, however it is clear that several distributions are bringing Flatpak by default , while Snap seems to be successful among companies, such as Spotify and Microsoft.
Snap instead of APT
As a “son of Debian”, Ubuntu inherits several characteristics of the system on which it is based, and its package manager APT is one of these characteristics.
At the Canonical Launchpad, site used for several Ubuntu routines such as: package management, bug registration, translations, development teams, etc; One user suggested that APT could be replaced by Snap, and noted some interesting points.
According to him, package managers like APT, on some occasions can be difficult to configure, and not always enabling the update of a new version due to the risk of broken packages, so Snap would be a great replacement, after all to update an entire system for a new version, a simple “sudo snap install ubuntu-version”, With no risk of package breakage.
The updates would be more dynamic, allowing updates of software and the system itself, without the need to disturb the user, because even in the background such changes would not affect the use of the OS.
However, we must remember that for this, the adoption of Snap must be greater, programs such as QT Creator, Google Chrome, do not yet exist in this format, and even having several apps such as Firefox, Telegram, WPS Office among others, the number still is inferior compared to traditional program distribution formats.
Switching from apt to Snap is definitely Fake
All this story is just fake news, that’s right, in the world of technology there are people willing to spread fallacies as truth.
Alan Pope one of the members of the Ubuntu community team went public through Twitter to comment on the matter, he explains that anyone can create a Launchpad account and create “blueprints”(Which are these suggestions), and that this is a part of the communication between Ubuntu and its community, however the Ubuntu team uses these suggestions as a planning tool, despite this, it does not mean that APT will be replaced by Snap, after all, not all suggestions are accepted.
What if that were true?
Hypothetically without APT on Ubuntu, Canonical’s system could become a “hybrid” of rolling release with the current model, however without requiring the formatting of the system LTS, even if it maintained this operating logic.
If that decision were hasty, countless apps could be out of the Ubuntu repositories, harming their users, perhaps Mark is waiting for the right time to take «one step at a time».
Technology evolves, and those who do not follow may be disoriented in the midst of news and advances in software management and development, solutions such as OStree it’s the swupdare undeniably the future (and why not the present?) of update management.
Such technologies bring advantages and eliminate the risks of errors and system breaks during upgrades, ensuring an immutable and reliable infrastructure, systems like Endless OS, Clear Linux it’s the Fedora Silverblue, make use of such technologies and many professionals attest that, like containers, this format will be the market standard.
Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on your point of view ???) this story was just fake news.
In the middle of 2019, fake or outdated news and considered current, are becoming routine in the world of technology, the best thing you can do when you encounter something like this is: “Leave on Facebook and Twitter spreading to general !? «, of course not! Simply ignore and do not market for such content.
This post was just a way to demonstrate how such rumors spread, and to give you advice not to share such news.
We are not free to fall into eventual stories of Carochinha, we are all doomed to error, so when we see a story talking nonsense and spreading fake news, the best thing to do is send it to limbo, don’t comment or pass it on, let the misinformation “die on the beach”.
And what do you think of all this history of fake news in the Linux world? Could APT be replaced in Ubuntu? Or do you think it was a “potato trip”?
Leave your opinion in the comments, of course, respecting the position of others.
Until the next post, I’ll wait for you here on the blog Diolinux, SYSTEMATICALLY! ?
Have you seen any errors or would you like to add any suggestions to this article? Collaborate, click here.
