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by simosx 1956 days ago
Most likely you tried to run a command, this command was part of a package that has not been installed, and Ubuntu suggested to you to install a specific deb or snap package.

There is a usability package 'command-not-found', which is a handler for the shell and runs when the command you tried to run, was not found.

You mentioned though that you tried to install a package, the package was not found and got a suggestion to use snaps or something. There is no such thing as far as I know.

There are two packages, 'chromium-browser' and 'lxd'. In Ubuntu 20.04, both these packages are now only available as snap packages. If you try to install them with `apt install`, you get a notification that they are now only available as snap packages, and the installer transparently installs the snap package for you. This has been discussed a lot before implementing, and also here. The gist is that when you `sudo apt install chromium-browser`, you want the installation to work, not get an error message to run `sudo snap install chromium` instead.
2 comments
ducktective 1956 days ago
Well, personally, I'd have very much preferred an abrupt error and a recommendation to install the thing with snap. After all `apt` is reserved for apt-managed applications not some general "install-please" meta command. I thought failing fast and general transparency was a Linux/UNIX motto.

Just my 2c. I'm not well-versed in sysadmin stuff.

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somehnguy 1956 days ago
I didn't try to run a command, I ran this exact script: https://github.com/ct-Open-Source/tuya-convert/blob/master/i...

Actually you could be right - that script does run `python3` after apt-get'ing everything it needs. Anyway..

I didn't look into it any further because I didn't feel like investing any time into learning the 'Ubuntu way'.

I installed Debian instead and it worked perfectly without any grief. It also worked perfectly on PopOS when I used it a few days later on a different machine.

Canonical can make whatever changes they want of course, I've just become increasingly less patient when it comes to machines not acting how I have come to expect. So I'll just stick to what works. Oh man - I'm becoming one of those old dudes...

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