Snaps are causing confusion and bad ratings

[Leslie Viljoen]

I have noticed that Snaps are causing a lot of confusion and bad ratings in the Ubuntu Software manager.
I'd like to provide an example but I can't seem to add images here, and this is the second attempt to post this message after I spent an hour typing and then lost it all because apparently didn't have a security token.

In short, for the app "deadbeef-vs":

1. "This application is unconfined" and yet it can't open files from the second drive. The reason is Snap permissions, but few people seem to realise that because there are 11 1-star reviews for the app, most talking about how the app is crap because it can't open files.
2. Permissions for this app are very odd:
a. "Play and record sound" is listed twice and doesn't prevent playing audio.
b. "Play audio" is a separate permission which conflicts with that.
c. "Read/write files on removable storage devices" is misnamed because my second drive is not removable.

Wouldn't it be better if Snap apps asked for their relevant permissions, or at the very least popped up the permissions dialog after install? That would put Ubuntu apps on par with Android apps.

[CharlesA]

Moved to the Cafe as this didn't seem to fit elsewhere.

[poorguy]

I personally have nothing against Snaps and the few I have installed and used seem to work okay however the initial start of a Snap App does seem to be slow at opening but once opened seemed to work well.

I think eventually Snaps may turn out to be a good thing but for now seem to have a few issues.

I prefer to use the Terminal or Synaptic Package Manager to install software.

Just my 25 cents worth.


Life is good.

[DuckHook]

…Wouldn't it be better if Snap apps asked for their relevant permissions, or at the very least popped up the permissions dialog after install?…

Yours isn't the only problem with snaps. On a separate thread, I recently had to deal with the known issue of runaway app bloat.

There are still many issues with snap that need working out. Due to the nature of the beast, some of them may never be.

FWIW, this is not the place to make suggestions to Canonical. Ours is a user supported forum and the devs rarely if ever visit here. The venue where the devs hang out is: https://discourse.ubuntu.com/

As for your specific issue: though I really dislike the idea of recommending PPAs and don't normally condone it, the whole snaps imbroglio is forcing more and more people back to this (questionable) platform. There is a PPA for your app that appears to be recently maintained: https://launchpad.net/~starws-box/+a...eadbeef-player

CAUTION
I don't use deadbeef and know nothing about this maintainer. As with all PPAs do your research and proceed at your own risk.

[Leslie Viljoen]

Thanks for the pointers everyone! I did get DeaDBeeF working fine but the package management caused a bad experience and I think Ubuntu is going to lose many new users if pretty much every application has these issues. I'll try discourse.

[Skaperen]

i avoid snaps primarily because i don't thoroughly understand how they run. i don't mean how to start them but what kind context they run in.

[Leslie Viljoen]

Bug reported here, is anyone wants to follow along:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/snap-stor...p/+bug/1957715

[bernard010]

Excellent job. If a Snap has any problems file a bug report.
That is how to get them working.
If they do not know there is a problem, they will not be fixed.

[TheFu]

Excellent job. If a Snap has any problems file a bug report.
That is how to get them working.
If they do not know there is a problem, they will not be fixed.

I consider privacy to be very important. Every time I login to any online service, I consider whether that service is worth the lack of privacy or not. Last time I looked, the barrier to provide a bug report required setting up a new account first. That's for landscape and github and most other locations - like Mozilla.

For me, that barrier is too high for bug reporting, for a program that isn't working and will likely not work on my system due to "snap" anyway. About 80% of snaps haven't worked for me or break important, but non-standard, workflows.

[1fallen]

I have noticed that Snaps are causing a lot of confusion and bad ratings in the Ubuntu Software manager.
I'd like to provide an example but I can't seem to add images here, and this is the second attempt to post this message after I spent an hour typing and then lost it all because apparently didn't have a security token.

In short, for the app "deadbeef-vs":

1. "This application is unconfined" and yet it can't open files from the second drive. The reason is Snap permissions, but few people seem to realise that because there are 11 1-star reviews for the app, most talking about how the app is crap because it can't open files.
2. Permissions for this app are very odd:
a. "Play and record sound" is listed twice and doesn't prevent playing audio.
b. "Play audio" is a separate permission which conflicts with that.
c. "Read/write files on removable storage devices" is misnamed because my second drive is not removable.

Wouldn't it be better if Snap apps asked for their relevant permissions, or at the very least popped up the permissions dialog after install? That would put Ubuntu apps on par with Android apps.

Although I agree Snaps are a Royal pain in the Rear.
There is a small work-around.

sudo snap connect deadbeef-vs:removable-media

Check Connections with:>>(DeadBeef should be running before hand)

snap connections deadbeef-vs

Should show something like:

Interface        Plug                         Slot                     Notes
alsa             deadbeef-vs:alsa             -                        -
audio-playback   deadbeef-vs:audio-playback   :audio-playback          -
dbus             -                            deadbeef-vs:dbus-daemon  -
desktop          deadbeef-vs:desktop          :desktop                 -
desktop-legacy   deadbeef-vs:desktop-legacy   :desktop-legacy          -
gsettings        deadbeef-vs:gsettings        :gsettings               -
home             deadbeef-vs:home             :home                    -
network          deadbeef-vs:network          :network                 -
network-bind     deadbeef-vs:network-bind     :network-bind            -
optical-drive    deadbeef-vs:optical-drive    :optical-drive           -
pulseaudio       deadbeef-vs:pulseaudio       :pulseaudio              -
removable-media  deadbeef-vs:removable-media  :removable-media         manual
unity7           deadbeef-vs:unity7           :unity7                  -
wayland          deadbeef-vs:wayland          :wayland                 -
x11              deadbeef-vs:x11              :x11                     -


             -

If you need more information see: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1034...talled-as-snap

Wouldn't it be better if Snap apps asked for their relevant permissions, or at the very least popped up the permissions dialog after install? That would put Ubuntu apps on par with Android apps.

I believe Gnome-Software has this Option