Blog posts written by Igor Ljubuncic

Igor Ljubuncic
19 March 2020

Snapcraft tricks: Improve release flexibility with pull and build overrides

Article Desktop

Sometimes, software projects are simple – one architecture, one version, one release. But often, they can be complex, targeting multiple platforms, and with different versions at that. If you are packaging your apps as snaps, you might wonder about the optimal way to accommodate a multi-dimensional release matrix. One...

Igor Ljubuncic
19 March 2020

Igor Ljubuncic
27 February 2020

Experimental feature: snap refresh awareness and update inhibition

Article Desktop

We’d like to follow up on last week’s article about parallel installs for classic snaps with another bleeding-edge topic. Today, we will discuss snap refreshes. By design, snaps come with automatic updates, and by default, the update (refresh) frequency check is four times a day. Whenever new application versions are...

Igor Ljubuncic
27 February 2020

Igor Ljubuncic
20 February 2020

Parallel installs for classic snaps

Article Ubuntu

For a while now, snapd has supported the ability to install and use multiple instances of the same snap in parallel. This allows users to test features in new software releases side by side with the stable, production versions. Similarly, users can distribute their work or perhaps use custom settings across several...

Igor Ljubuncic
20 February 2020

Igor Ljubuncic
11 February 2020

How to upgrade from Windows 7 to Ubuntu – Desktop tour and applications

Article Desktop

This is the third and the last guide in this series. In the first installment, we learned about considerations for an update from Windows 7 to Ubuntu, key differences in hardware and software between the two operating systems, the terminology, and how to safely backup data ahead of migration. In the second tutorial, we covered

Igor Ljubuncic
11 February 2020

Igor Ljubuncic
4 February 2020

How to upgrade from Windows 7 to Ubuntu – Installation

Article Desktop

Installing an operating system is not an easy task. For most people, this is something they will never have done. The vast majority of people buy computers with the operating system already installed, so they never have to manually run through the system setup. The process can be intimidating, but we will try to make

Igor Ljubuncic
4 February 2020

Igor Ljubuncic
30 January 2020

Development corner: IDEs and tools that can make your coding more productive

Article Desktop

Every craft needs craftsmen, every craftsman needs tools. If you make a living developing code, you want a friendly ecosystem to help you achieve best results from your work. Good development software will allow you to achieve higher productivity and precision, leading to a product that is more effective and with fewer...

Igor Ljubuncic
30 January 2020

Igor Ljubuncic
28 January 2020

How to upgrade from Windows 7 to Ubuntu – Hardware and software considerations

Article Desktop

Some time ago, Rhys Davies wrote a timely article, titled Why you should upgrade to Ubuntu. In it, he outlined a high-level overview of what the end of support of Windows 7 signifies for the typical user, the consideration – and advantages – of migrating to Ubuntu as an alternative, and the basic steps one

Igor Ljubuncic
28 January 2020

Igor Ljubuncic
23 January 2020

Looking for video editing software? The Snap Store has some nice apps for you.

Article Desktop

In the past decade, video has become the most ubiquitous method of communication on the Web. Video clips are used for pretty much anything, from short software tutorials to hours-long live online gaming streaming. In some cases, the use of “moving pictures” might not be the best communication medium, but there is no...

Igor Ljubuncic
23 January 2020

Igor Ljubuncic
3 January 2020

Discover cool apps with snap find

Article Desktop

Software discovery and installation broadly comes in two flavors – via graphical user interface or on the command line. If you’re using a Linux distribution with a friendly software frontend offering integrated snap support, e.g. KDE Discover or GNOME Software, you can enjoy the experience without having to resort to...

Igor Ljubuncic
3 January 2020

Igor Ljubuncic
19 December 2019

Building a C snap by example

Article Desktop

Quite often, getting started with new technologies is a chicken and an egg problem. You want to fall back and rely upon work done by others, so you can learn from it, and yet, as a technological pioneer, you will be facing first-of-kind issues that won’t have readily available answers. We are fully aware of

Igor Ljubuncic
19 December 2019

Igor Ljubuncic
5 December 2019

Snapcraft now auto-detects missing dependencies

Article Desktop

When you build snaps, the process of composing a complete snapcraft.yaml file will usually revolve around three main activities: parts, build requirements and runtime components. Sometimes, you may discover that you’re missing certain libraries in the compilation stage, or that they are required for your application to...

Igor Ljubuncic
5 December 2019

Igor Ljubuncic
28 November 2019

Productivity corner: free, versatile office suites in the Snap Store

Article Desktop

For the past few decades, the digital office formula has not changed much. It still revolves around three main components – text documents, data spreadsheets and visual slide decks, designed to convey a powerful business message. While simple in essence, this model is quite complex in practice, and choosing the best...

Igor Ljubuncic
28 November 2019

Igor Ljubuncic
21 November 2019

Snapcraft secret sauce: KDE neon extension

Article Desktop

Simplicity is the magic ingredient in any product design. For members of the KDE community, snap development has become that much simpler, thanks to the recent introduction of the KDE neon extension. Last year, we talked about the KDE build and content snaps, which can greatly speed the build of KDE application snaps and save

Igor Ljubuncic
21 November 2019

Igor Ljubuncic
24 October 2019

Bauh is a nifty snap manager

Article Desktop

If you’re looking for an easy, non-techie way to install snaps, you want a simple store-like utility. Snap integration is available in both GNOME Software and KDE Discover, which cover a large portion of the Linux user base. However, in distributions and desktop environments that do not natively provide a snap-capable...

Igor Ljubuncic
24 October 2019