This 2016 will happen to be the year of snaps packages, the arrival of universal packages to Linux. This is important because with a single type of package we can install any software in any distribution, flavor or official version.
This is being valued positively by many developers who have passed and are converting many applications to this format. Currently there are hundreds of applications in snap format that can be installed on Ubuntu Core, Ubuntu Phone or Ubuntu. But Which of all to choose? What apps exist among all of them that we know of?
Next we will talk about 10 snaps that we can install in any version of Ubuntu. Many of them are known and are essential for many users. They are all free and some of them are already in Ubuntu Desktop.
Krita, a package for Photoshop users
Gimp, Photoshop's main rival, has not reached the snap format, but it is another interesting program with the same functions: Krista. This application is fully functional and we can make hardware as limited as Raspeberry Pi can create professional graphics from this snap package.
OwnCloud, a new personal in snap format
Many use Ubuntu Core as an operating system to create virtual home servers or even install Ubuntu Server for home functions. It is because of that OwnCloud snap package it is important for any use, even for Ubuntu Phone or Ubuntu Desktop. An application that will allow us to have our personal files anywhere.
Libreoffice, for the most productive
It is an almost universal request and it seems that it has already been fulfilled. The famous free office suite already has a snap format and that means that we have this office suite on a mobile phone, on a server or in a server version.
Lxd, a framework to have them all
LXD is the famous framework and base for install any modular application, it is a server-oriented technology and can be of great help to avoid serious problems in the future with software other than cli or snap format.
Nutty, a tool for system administrators
Sometimes we need system tools to know information or some information about our team. Nutty allows us to find out information about the Network in which we are and the team with which we operate. Surely many of you already know the tool.
Rocket.chat, for internal communications
In recent months, Slack, an interesting communications tool, has stood out. Rocket.Chat does the same but freely and in snap format. A curious application that will allow us to connect with free communication networks, such as IRC.
Telegram, the faithful to Ubuntu
Telegram is a well-known application that we already know has a package in snap format and also a normal package. Something interesting for many users, especially those who want to install it on a mobile Do not you think?
Anatine, a twitter client in snap format
From this application we have already previously spoken. Anatine is an unofficial Twitter client but quite complete that will allow us to have the famous social network among our snaps applications.
VLC, for the most artistic
The VLC application allows us view multimedia content that we have created or also allows us to create content. That is why this application in snap format is very interesting and important. What's more Who has not used VLC to watch videos on our Ubuntu?
Minecraft, because not everything is work
The famous video game platform, Minecraft also has a snap format available for all versions of Ubuntu. In addition, there is also the snap package of the server application, so with a small Raspberry Pi and these snaps applications we can get hours and hours of fun.
These snaps are important applications and that surely many of you did not know, but surely that within a week or a month this list will be out of date as the pace of development of this package format grows day by day, much more than other new formats such as Microsoft's universal packages.
Do you really think that these snap applications are to be used in a productive environment? Not all of them are translated (well, for many it may not matter), not all of them are integrated correctly (libraries that do not work, icons that are not displayed, etc.), others do not work well all the functionalities (libreoffice does not work the revision automatic spelling in writer, which may not be essential for many, but for me it is).
"This 2016 will be the year of snaps packages." Well, I don't know if it will be because of that or because we still don't have the most important packages: firefox, gimp, etc. Ahhhh, there is no gimp in the snap package, you install krita, total….
The Canonical people have to consider where they want to go, because at this rate we are going to have a medley of Unity 8 that has not just landed, a Mir server that passes three-quarters of the same to it and then these snaps packages that seem at the moment one Love and I can not.
I agree with you in your doubts about the role of snap packages in a productive environment, except for honorable exceptions such as Telegram they are not translated and a couple of months ago, I do not know if this has been solved already because I have not tried again, they could not even be installed from Ubuntu Software.
This type of packaging with aspirations of being universal is very, very interesting, of course, but I find Joaquín García's euphoria with snap-shots excessive, premature and not very objective.
Time will have to see how this evolves and hopefully, whether it's snap or one of the other universal parcel projects, we can get rid of dependency conflicts.
But, I insist, such euphoria is surely premature. I understand that in a blog like this one is informed about the snap, what is its evolution and the improvements, if there are any (for example, it would be very interesting if they reported on the integration in these snaps of the translations that exist as dependencies for the packages .deb when that happens), but I can't understand anyone knowingly recommending them today.
Joaquin will know why he does it. I, for my part, made comments in this same sense to some previous news and he does not even reply to explain his position.
Greetings.