To deb or Snap or Flatpak?

[Quarkrad]

Thank you - I have been experimenting with unattended upgrades hence me looking at the 'future' of deb compared to snap/flatpak - your comments are reassuring. Both these people live within 5 minutes walk so 'support' is not an issue.

[monkeybrain20122]

Flatpaks and Snaps update automatically.

I don't know about snap since I have removed it, but flatpak doesn't update automatically on 22.04 (i think some kind of bugs with gnome software). It did on 20.04 but always followed with some warnings. This is through the software store but the gnome store is forever broken for one or another reason. I am looking for a gui "app store" for flatpak apps for non tech users I might want to set up Ubuntu for. I found this and another one on gitlab but can't find the link now. Will test this out. I am not sure if it does automatic update though I don't see that as a big problem as long as there is an easy way to update.

@OP
security updates and be configured to install automatically. I don't think flatpak updates are security updates.

[BBQdave]

I don't know about snap since I have removed it, but flatpak doesn't update automatically on 22.04...

Yes, I should have been more clear: Ubuntu 22.04 -Snap updated automatically, Fedora 37 -Flatpak updated automatically, and Debian 11 -Flatpak updated automatically.

Although Snap would be part of the (auto update) solution for the OP, but Google Chrome (third party .deb) would be through (Gnome) Software. So given the information of the users the OP is trying to support, install the few applications they use with Snap and teach them how to update Chrome (clicking the update button in Software) and all should be good.

So basically the users would just click the update button in (Gnome) Software when an update notification appeared

[Quarkrad]

Again thank you for your suggestions. (@monkeybrain20122 - re gui for flatpak; have you looked at FLATHUB?). Currently the users do 'just click on the update button' but they are of a condition that they keep forgetting what I say, or look at the reminder piece of paper on their desk, so phone me because a message has appeared on their Desktop. I am currently looking at installed deb packages and including google chrome to be part of the unattended-upgrade process. Also, I can manually forced unattended upgrade to happen as part of my backup script that runs when they shutdown daily.

[kurt18947]

I have a couple flatpaks installed on otherwise stock 22.04. Everything updates as expected. I do get a notice that snap updates are due but I haven't had to manually intervene in the process. I do power down at night when I think of it. I have at least 2 accounts - the original and a user account. If it wouldn't be too complex, make sure the "software updater" icon is prominent on the "housekeeping" account and not on the user account. If the user is able to understand and cope with a "housekeeping" and a "daily user account" that may work.

[monkeybrain20122]

Come to think of it I am not getting flatpak updates automatically maybe because I have disabled updates from the gnome software store. It is annoying that it automatically restarts after any inconsequential little deb update. It is annoying like Windows.

[PHerrmann]

Hi everybody,
I would like to add a comment concerning Handbrake.
Current deb version is 1.2.2. This version allows you to read commercial encrypted DVDs as libdvdcss is installed with Handbrake.
When I tried to upgrade Handbrake, last version available is 1.6.1, but is only available through flatpak install. I followed instructions and version 1.6.1 is used via cli : flatpak run fr.handbrake.ghb
Handbrake 1.6.1 behave nicely, except that it is unable to read commercial encrypted DVDs.
Maybe I missed something, but I reinstalled deb version and I use this one to read commercial DVDs. I verified that Handbrake flatpak version still doesn't read commercial DVDs after libdvdcss is reinstalled.

[NormanFLinux]

It depends. Some flatpak packages are broken or don't run well; install deb. A close to immutable system is the ideal state. Notice I didn't say immutable because in real life compromises will always have to be made.

[VMC]

I only use makemkv and have never had issue with commercial DVDs. I gave up Handbrake years ago. It was slow and confusing.

[ian-weisser]

I would like to add a comment concerning Handbrake.
Current deb version is 1.2.2.

Let's offer a bit of a correction about the "current deb version"...

1.2.2 = Debian oldoldstable. Not available in any supported release of Ubuntu.
1.3.1 = Debian oldstable and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
1.5.1 = Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
1.6.1 = Debian stable
1.7.2 = Debian testing and Ubuntu 24.04