Have you guys considered a SNAP package?

[CharmCityCrab]

It occurred to me that have a SNAP package (If one doesn't already exist) might be a good way to grow Firefox on Linux more easily, by making sure all dependencies are there without effecting the rest of the operating system, allowing direct updates to the program similar to the way Windows programs work, and enabling anyone who's distro supports the use of SNAP packages something to download and install if their repos don't offer Pale Moon. I've also heard it's easier for new or less technical users to install and keep updated, and requires less specific targeting of specific distros by developers.

I am not currently using Linux, I'm just throwing the idea out there in case it helps any.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

It occurred to me that have a SNAP package (If one doesn't already exist) might be a good way to grow Firefox on Linux more easily, by making sure all dependencies are there without effecting the rest of the operating system, allowing direct updates to the program similar to the way Windows programs work, and enabling anyone who's distro supports the use of SNAP packages something to download and install if their repos don't offer Pale Moon. I've also heard it's easier for new or less technical users to install and keep updated, and requires less specific targeting of specific distros by developers.

I am not currently using Linux, I'm just throwing the idea out there in case it helps any.

Is your account compromised? Cause there are at least five things wrong with your post four of which I know for a fact you know better about.

[Moonchild]

YADS - Yet Another Distribution System.

I'm sure people have the best interest in mind when creating all these alternative "self-contained-package-distribution-systems", but seriously, no.
Just don't.

Aside from the added overhead which we already discussed when people kept copy-pasting requests for a "Linux AppImage" YADS to various repos, there's a much more important thing that doesn't allow us to distribute MPL 2.0 applications this way, since bundled libs will be GPLed, which is an incompatible license for bundling.

Also:
https://github.com/MoonchildProductions/moebius/issues/174#issuecomment-361762692
https://github.com/MoonchildProductions/moebius/issues/174#issuecomment-363349563

[CharmCityCrab]

Is your account compromised? Cause there are at least five things wrong with your post four of which I know for a fact you know better about.

I appreciate your previously high estimation of my knowledge level. Its possible tbat I know less than you think, or have forgotten some things I used to know years ago, though. I have also been under an incredibly high level of stress, and for some reason under stress my memory and IQ seem to take nose dives.

[stevenpusser]

YADS - Yet Another Distribution System.

I'm sure people have the best interest in mind when creating all these alternative "self-contained-package-distribution-systems", but seriously, no.
Just don't.

Aside from the added overhead which we already discussed when people kept copy-pasting requests for a "Linux AppImage" YADS to various repos, there's a much more important thing that doesn't allow us to distribute MPL 2.0 applications this way, since bundled libs will be GPLed, which is an incompatible license for bundling.

Also:
https://github.com/MoonchildProductions/moebius/issues/174#issuecomment-361762692
https://github.com/MoonchildProductions/moebius/issues/174#issuecomment-363349563

Does this mean all the bundled packages we see already are violating the licenses, like the Firefox snaps?

[Moonchild]

Does this mean all the bundled packages we see already are violating the licenses, like the Firefox snaps?

Extremely likely, yes.

[mr tribute]

Does this mean all the bundled packages we see already are violating the licenses, like the Firefox snaps?

Extremely likely, yes.

Moonchild, by telling the truth you just ruined the future for distro-independent app distribution. How irresponsible of you.
Seriously though, this could be a serious blow to Linux unless the big guys pretend that licenses don't apply.
Did someone say snap - I think that's what just happened.

[Moonchild]

this could be a serious blow to Linux unless the big guys pretend that licenses don't apply.

It's not a problem if the licenses are compatible. i.e. if everyone uses the GNU approach and GPLs everything, there's no problem. But you can't just do this with every license. (Of course the big guys would -like- everything to be GPLed but that is simply not the reality).

See GPL v3 sections 5 and 5c:

You must license the entire work, as a whole, under this License to anyone who comes into possession of a copy. This License will therefore apply, along with any applicable section 7 additional terms, to the whole of the work, and all its parts, regardless of how they are packaged. This License gives no permission to license the work in any other way, but it does not invalidate such permission if you have separately received it.

A compilation of a covered work with other separate and independent works, which are not by their nature extensions of the covered work, and which are not combined with it such as to form a larger program, in or on a volume of a storage or distribution medium, is called an “aggregate” if the compilation and its resulting copyright are not used to limit the access or legal rights of the compilation's users beyond what the individual works permit. Inclusion of a covered work in an aggregate does not cause this License to apply to the other parts of the aggregate.

A SNAP package will be a compilation of a covered work (included GPLed libs) with other separate independent works that form a larger program (and the program won't function without it), which are combined such as to form a distribution medium. This means it cannot be treated as an "aggregate" and must be treated as a larger work. The GPL v3 will therefore apply, without exception, to the SNAP package as a whole and all of its included parts. You can't do this with Firefox or Pale Moon or any other mixed-licensed or MPL-licensed software because the licenses are incompatible.

[EbonJaeger]

A SNAP package will be a compilation of a covered work (included GPLed libs) with other separate independent works that form a larger program (and the program won't function without it), which are combined such as to form a distribution medium. This means it cannot be treated as an "aggregate" and must be treated as a larger work. The GPL v3 will therefore apply, without exception, to the SNAP package as a whole and all of its included parts. You can't do this with Firefox or Pale Moon or any other mixed-licensed or MPL-licensed software because the licenses are incompatible.

Out of curiosity, how are compiled binaries different? I seem to recall GPL being strict like that in its linking clauses, too.

[Moonchild]

Out of curiosity, how are compiled binaries different?

Compiled binaries won't be bundling dependent libraries that are on a user's system or can be flagged as required (with the exception of redistributable runtime DLLs on Windows). These self-contained packages do -- they have to bundle additional libs that aren't part of the compiled binaries.

[EbonJaeger]

Out of curiosity, how are compiled binaries different?

Compiled binaries won't be bundling dependent libraries that are on a user's system or can be flagged as required (with the exception of redistributable runtime DLLs on Windows). These self-contained packages do -- they have to bundle additional libs that aren't part of the compiled binaries.

Ah, gotcha. Thanks!

[CharmCityCrab]

Oh Lord, I just reread this four months later and realized that I referred to Pale Moon as if it were Firefox. No wonder Tobin was pissed at me. Yikes! Totally unintentional on my part. I do know full well that Pale Moon is not Firefox and never will be again. I don't why I typed the word "Firefox" there or why I didn't notice it and edit it when I had the chance (Editing is only allowed for a limited period of time after posting- otherwise I'd do it now). My apologies- it really was quite unintentional on my part.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

Don't worry about old threads you shouldn't be bumping. This was at the tail end of a very busy year of being busy and I was stressed as fuck at the time. Basically the whole of 2018 being UXP, Pale Moon, Interlink, the sill unreleased Borealis and Phoebus made for a very stressed and irritated Tobin.

The blatant anti-Tobinism since the mid-late 2016 coup attempt didn't help either and lingered past Phoebus 2.0 landing.. But I think things are better now since a lot of that stress is gone and we had that poll.

In any case, don't worry about it. I'm not since it won't lead to making XUL great again.