Dr. Bill | The Computer Curmudgeon

Back in April (the 23rd, in fact) Ubuntu released version 20.04 LTS. And, I have finished updating all my Ubuntu Linux servers (I have three) to the latest version. So, I have five years of “Long Term Support” (that’s what LTS stands for) ahead of me. I upgraded one from version 18, and two from version 19 to the latest version. It was pretty simple and easy. No hiccups! So, what’s new, you ask? Well some of this does not apply to me, because I am running the non-GUI server version, but here are just some of the highlights:

• Faster boot times
• Some GUI improvements
• Easier method to go to a “dark mode” on the GUI (one button flip)
• Fully Snap’ped Software Center (Bad if you read the earlier articles, I know), but there are 6,000 applications in the Snapcraft Linux App Store
• Uses the Linux 5.4 kernel version
• Includes Secure Boot to protect against low level attacks and rootkits
• WireGuard® is a new, simplified VPN with modern cryptography defaults
• Disappointing point, you still can’t drop files from the file manager to the desktop, oh well.

Remember, I said that Linux folk don’t care for Snap? Well, Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu Linux, BUT they are stripping all of Snap out of the new Linux Mint version 20. The beta release is out now. And, they are “protecting you” from Snap! To be fair, they are responding to the user base!

Do you want to remove Snap from your already installed system? Do this:

First check if you have any snaps installed. If you do you should write them down and try installing them with apt.

snap list
No snaps are installed yet. Try ‘snap install hello-world’.

Now, you’re ready to remove snapd

sudo apt remove –purge snapd gnome-software-plugin-snap

Once it’s removed you can block it from being reinstalled via apt:

sudo cat << EOF > /etc/apt/preferences.d/snapd
Package: snapd
Pin: origin *
Pin-Priority: -1
EOF

You are now safe from being a Snap user! Too strong? OK, maybe so!

Elon Musk’s StarLink “Internet Provider from Space” program is rolling out big time! So far, there are 538 operational satellites in the sky ready to provide Internet connectivity from orbit! Low orbit, to speed up latency, but orbit, nonetheless! 238 of those satellite went up last week, with 60 more to be added next week!

Regulatory information that was filed by StarLink on its system indicates that the servie will provide 100 meg down and 40 meg up Internet service to it’s customers, with and expected latency of less than 30 ms. However, it will not be for “dense” population areas, like cities. This is intended to provide service to people that are out in the “boonies,” away from “standard” Internet service options.

But, I am excited about the potential! They have even put up a “sign-up” page to start taking names and addresses to be “early adopters!” If you live in the aforementioned “boonies,” I’d say, go for it!

Snap, if you did not know, is Ubuntu’s attempt at a “unified standard app store” in Linux. There you go! Enough to hate on it already! Linux users are classically renegades that want to do everything the hard way, on their own! After all, how can I get true geek cred if one just goes to an “app store” and have the whatever-I-wanted-software installed by a common system? Yeeesh!

Now, that is not to say that there isn’t some real, solid reasons NOT to like snap. When you install something “from scratch” everything is placed where it should be in Linux (at least according to the original development team for the app.) Snap puts a lot of it’s install files under a “snap” directory. What?! This means it isn’t where the original software designers said it would be installed. Bummer, man! To be clear, when you install an run a Snap version of a program it incorporates the application and its libraries into a single package. It’s then installed and mounted on a SquashFS virtual file system. So, when you run a Snap, you’re running it inside a secured container of its own. Good? Yes, in some ways…. but bad in others, like speed.

Also, there is a lot of discussion that “snap-installed” apps are slower and klugy-er than the “installed from scratch” versions of the same software. Trade off for the easy install, you say? Hummmm… I don’t know.

Then there is the concern that it is proprietary to Ubuntu. True Linux folk just don’t DO proprietary. HOWEVER, one of the arguments FOR snap is that it tries to standardize a mess of different methods of installs, satisfy dependencies automatically, and keep thing up to date. All worthy goals. But, can be at the expense of speed, can be buggy (at least right now, getting better) and again, does NOT appeal to the Linux “bit wrangler” persona.

So, do YOU hate snap? If so, you are not alone, it seems!

Now, my site is fully SSL’ed again! My Web Host finally fixed it! Sorry for the inconvenience of it not having a proper cert there for a while! You may now browse to your heart’s content!