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Linux reviews notes that
The popular Linux Mint operating system has decided to purge the snap package manager from its repositories and forbid installation of it. The motivation for this drastic move is that the upstream Ubuntu Linux distribution Linux Mint is based on will stealthily install snapd and use that to install Chromium from the Canonical-controlled SnapCraft instead of installing a regular Chromium package like most users expect.
The Linux Mint blog has this to say about Ubuntu's use of snap to use their chromium package to subvert apt:
You've as much empowerment with this as if you were using proprietary software, i.e. none. This is in effect similar to a commercial proprietary solution, but with two major differences: It runs as root, and it installs itself without asking you.
Is Ubuntu turning evil?
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Thursday July 09 2020, @10:13PM (2 children)
Ubuntu without the snaps ... Will it have chromium? And will that *not* be a snap in disguise?
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday July 09 2020, @10:25PM
It might have Chromium, I don't know as I don't have a need for it on a laptop but if it does it will either be Flatpak or Deb, based on every other thing I've installed.
The Pop Store gives the choice at install time, which is nice.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday July 10 2020, @03:40PM
Ubuntu without snaps - you have a choice of buttons, or a zipper. You may have chrome buttons, a chrome zipper, or just chrome plate the whole thing - your preference.