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Ubuntu 16.04 LTS Will Bring Snap Packages For Up-To-Date, More Secure Apps (neowin.net)

Posted by msmash on from the insightful-delightful-ubuntu-news dept.

An anonymous reader points us to a report on Neowin: Canonical, Ubuntu's parent company, has announced that Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Long Term Support) will come with support for the snap packaging format and tools. As a result, end users will get more up-to-date apps, something that proved tricky in the past due âoethe complexity of packaging and providing updates,â which prevented updates to some apps being delivered. Snaps will make the Ubuntu platform more unified, developers will more easily be able to create software for PC, Server, Mobile, or IoT devices. The other major benefit of snaps is that that they're more secure than software installed through deb packages. Snaps are isolated from the rest of the system, meaning that malware packaged with a snap won't be able to affect your Ubuntu installation.

4 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Like Static Linking! by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is like static linking. Just link in all the code from all the libraries your program uses. Back to the simple life.

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    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
  2. Why? by binarylarry · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When you think about what sucks in Ubuntu right now, are apt and deb really the worst offenders that need work?

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    Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
    1. Re:Why? by SumDog · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Exactly. Package management with dependencies is what Linux does RIGHT! Look at Android and it's horrible "you have to update the whole damn firmware because nothing is managed by packages!"

      Apks and MacOS app containers add so much redundancy. If you have a library with a security problem, you can now have 50 of that library with a security problem scattered everywhere. In the Linux world with proper package management, if develops use the system libraries, then their apps get those security updates.

  3. Snaps! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Modern snap snappers know that only snaps can snap snaps, so give up on your insecure luddite packages and use snappy app snaps! Snaps!