Install Additional Software doesn't include info on single signon

[Ron Helwig]

In the list of steps at help.ubuntu.com/stable/ubuntu-help/addremove-install.html it doesn't mention the fact that you are required to have an Ubuntu One account, nor that you have to enter your email address and password for that service.

It also doesn't address what happens when that fails. In my case I created the required account (even though I will NEVER!!! install software I have to pay for) and then immediately tried to install some new software. That failed with an error saying wrong password. Even after properly activating the account and waiting overnight it is still failing to recognize my password. [This should probably be another bug report | support request]

Running Ubuntu 16.10

[Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj)]

Thanks for your report.

How did you conclude that an Ubuntu One account is required to install software from the Ubuntu archive? (AFAIK it's not.)

If you have a problem with your Ubuntu One account, you may want to submit an issue to <email address hidden>.

[Chris Perry (clissold345)]

@Gunnar. Did Ron misunderstand the Authenticate dialog box and thought it wanted an Ubuntu One password, so then he created an Ubuntu One account, ...?

[Ron Helwig (rhelwig)]

It is asking for an Ubuntu One email/pass, but it won't accept my Ubuntu One email and password. I have attached a picture.

I worked around it by doing
apt-get install synaptic
so I can use Synaptic to install software instead of Ubuntu Software. I would like to use the state of the art, which I assume Ubuntu Software is, but I am glad to have a decent fail-back in Synaptic.

FYI, I was a developer for 15 years, although mostly in MS Windows. I do understand the difference between the root password (for authenticating changes to the system) and the Ubuntu One single sign on stuff. But that point might be a good one to be very explicit about for folks who might not understand.

[Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj)]

Thanks for explaining, Ron. Apparently it requires Ubuntu One to install snap packages, and it's the snap version of VLC which you install via Ubuntu Software.

I don't know the reason why it asks for Ubuntu One, though. The snap can be installed from a terminal window without involving Ubuntu One:

sudo snap install vlc

When you used Synaptic you probably installed the conventional package, i.e. the equivalent to:

sudo apt install vlc

Some research needed before we can reconsider the docs. Thanks again!

[Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj)]

I can add that Ubuntu Software does not accept my Ubuntu One credentials either. Bug #1637633 seems to apply.

Also noticed bug #1641446. I agree that requiring Ubuntu One credentials appears to be unwarranted when installing free and gratis software - especially since it doesn't work... :(

[Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj)]

The issue seems to have been fixed via bug #1616943 (haven't confirmed yet). If it works, we should have the info needed to add something to the page.

[Chris Perry (clissold345)]

@Gunnar. Yes it works now. As a test (with 16.10 running very slowly in virtualbox) I installed a snap called qownnotes. As someone says in bug #1616943, you log onto Ubuntu One and then Authenticate. I couldn't see any indication in the listing in Ubuntu Software that qownnotes is a snap. But to an average user they just want a named application, they're not bothered how it's packaged?

[Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj)]

Right, I suppose that's the philosophy. It's the same with VLC.

[Chris Perry (clissold345)]

Sorry, I was wrong about not being able to distinguish snaps from non-snaps from within Ubuntu Software. If you click on the name of a package, you get to a "details" page, which (amongst other things) gives the package source. The snaps that I checked (qownnotes (confusingly listed as notes) and hexchat) have source = "Ubuntu Snappy Store".

[Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj)]

Yeah, but if I understand it correctly, the source is stated only when the package is installed, which means that no explanation why the Ubuntu One thing pops up is provided to the users in advance.

[Chris Perry (clissold345)]

Yes you're right. Eg on 16.04 I don't have Hugo installed (Hugo is a snap) and in Ubuntu Software Hugo does have a "details" page but it doesn't give the source.

Another point is that snaps and non snaps are both listed in Ubuntu Software and some packages are available in both formats. For example, Hexchat is listed three times in Ubuntu Software (16.04) (I have the snap installed but not the non snap). Two of the listings are installed (so for the snap?) and one is not installed (so for the non snap?). I also see that I'm not able to install the vlc snap (because it's not available for i386).

I don't think snaps are mentioned in the 16.10 help. We'll need to mention them in the 17.04 help?

[Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj)]

On 2016-12-14 10:46, Chris Perry wrote:
> I don't think snaps are mentioned in the 16.10 help. We'll need to
> mention them in the 17.04 help?

Well, the desktop guide does not talk about the Debian package format either. Probably we should mention snaps as an example of when you need to sign in to Ubuntu One to be able to install or remove, but I would suggest that we simply link to a suitable page which explains what snaps is about.

[Gunnar Hjalmarsson (gunnarhj)]

Fixed in ubuntu-docs 17.04.1