Debian is just Ubuntu before they add Snap.
Or, remove snap from Ubuntu:
# Remove snap if [ -n "$(which snap 2>/dev/null)" ]; then SNAPS=$(snap list |awk '{print $1}' |grep -v Name) for SNAP in ${SNAPS} do; snap remove ${SNAP}; done sudo systemctl stop snapd sudo systemctl stop snapd.socket sudo systemctl disable snapd sudo systemctl mask snapd sudo apt purge snapd -y sudo apt-mark hold snapd sudo cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/nosnap.pref Package: snapd Pin: release a=* Pin-Priority: -10 EOF rm -rf ~/snap sudo rm -rf /snap sudo rm -rf /var/snap sudo rm -rf /var/lib/snapd # Add needed repositories sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/ppa -y echo ' Package: * Pin: release o=LP-PPA-mozillateam Pin-Priority: 1001 Package: thunderbird Pin: version 2:1snap* Pin-Priority: -1 ' | sudo tee /etc/apt/preferences.d/thunderbird sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xtradeb/apps -y fi
That is a lot of code that could have been a single command.
Kubuntu 25.10 minimal install doesnt put snaps on your system, a quick script later and I’ve got Firefox, Steam and Heroic official .deb files installed and running, then run this to make sure it never comes back:
sudo apt-mark hold snapd
on linux mint this strip is only two panels long
Tmobile has been trying to do that to me since yesterday. “Complete your setup” notification I deleted half a dozen times and the one time I mistapped brought up a bright magenta blank page but after closing I found they had shoved 8 game shortcuts into my system. Deleted those and the notification returned.had to disable the t-life notification to kill it
I’d recommend looking into LineageOS or other custom ROMs to nix that kind of bullshit
Waiting for the day they finally drop it… … like unity … like mir … like ubuntu mobile (or whatever it was called)
I doubt it
They are way to invested to stop now
Is this something that happens on Ubuntu or something? My Debian system hasn’t pulled in any snap stuff to my knowledge.
Around 2021, I regularly ran into this problem with the Firefox snap. It had various runtime issues, so I preferred the traditional deb package. I’d uninstall the snap then install the deb. Then, some days later, I’d find the snap was somehow installed again. This happened a few times before I realized that the deb was just installing the snap. Imo, that’s not a good design. Debs should be debs and snaps should be snaps.
Anyhow, I use Arch now, btw. Much more consistent experience.
Yup, it’s an Ubuntu thing.
No idea why someone would run Ubuntu and then be surprised that snaps are enabled.
It’s about Snap being an impurgeable rootkit on your machine. It’s the same as Onedrive or Copilot on Windows.
On Ubuntu, even if you remove all snaps and snapd, apt commands are hijacked and will reinstall everything if you touch certain packages. The better solution is to not use anything from Canonical.
It’s not that they’re enabled, it’s that they can re-enable themselves after updates even if the users disables Snaps and removes snapd.
Had this issue with Ubuntu on my Dads laptop before I switched it to Debian.
@fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com posted a how-to to get rid of snap permanently by using apt pinning:
Sounds like something Microsoft would do!
You didn’t hear that Microsoft is getting into Linux? They’re going to call it mi-cux
Ubuntu is propped up by Microsoft (Azure)
No idea why someone would run Ubuntu. Full Stop.
From my experience it is people who used Linux 15 years ago and are just now coming back
They missed the part where Ubuntu enshitified
For me it was the entry point, I heard everywhere it is the “beginners distro”. That was about 4 years ago, now sentiment changed and people are recommending Mint instead.
work requirement 😔
Still better than windows.
absolutely
…needs of shoe-horning linux on to microsoft device :(
TL;DR (Summary)
zr0 is expressing a flat rejection of Ubuntu as a valid Linux choice, likely due to Canonical’s decisions around Snap and other user-hostile defaults. They see no redeeming reason for anyone to run Ubuntu — especially with better alternatives like Debian or Arch available.List all said “decisions and defaults” that would incur such an unfavorable verdict from a seasonned linux user ?
- Snap Package System (snapd)
This feels to many like vendor lock-in — a betrayal of open-source ideals. - Data Collection (“Ubuntu Phone Home”)
Though anonymized, the default opt-in raised privacy concerns - Amazon Search Integration in Dash (Ubuntu 12.10–16.04)
Eventually removed, but left a lasting stain on Canonical’s reputation. - Abandoning MIR and Unity — Then Reversing
- Bundling Bloat / Non-Free Software by Default
- Canonical’s Commercial Focus
- LTS-Only Philosophy in Flavors and PPAs
- Centralized Development Model
Ubuntu is technically “open source,” but most decisions come top-down from Canonical.
Snap is developed behind closed doors, then pushed downstream. - System Resource Usage
Ubuntu’s GNOME desktop and background services (like Snap, Tracker, etc.) are heavy on RAM and CPU. - Difficulty Removing Canonical Components
Removing Snap, cloud-init, or motd-news (system message ads) often takes manual, repeated effort.
System update may reintroduce unwanted packages.
This gives a feeling of a system that’s working against the user.
Do you agree with that assessment user “zr0” ?
- Snap Package System (snapd)
My surprise would be something like “what’s snap didn’t I remove whatever that was”.
Snap is a pain in the ass eating the bandwidth when it’s low (like in roaming). Yeah I know I should move from ubuntu !
It also eats your RAM! My VPS has 512MB and I noticed snapd was running all the time and causing my programs to get oom killed
It also kills validation. You think you know what’s installed, but you have 4 copies of it and 3 of them have been sploited and you have no clue.
All that shit - appimage, snaps, containers - they all hide versions and signed manifests from you while still being terrible in other ways.